We Found Life In Death, And Love In Hate
by MayaWulfe
Summary: What if Jerry Dandridge never moved in next door to Charley Brewster? What if he moved in next to a woman in a completely different town? And what if that woman happened to be a werewolf? Meet Amber Waite, a werewolf girl who excels at being as human as possible. When she sees her new neighbor, Jerry, engage in his bloodsucking habits, will she keep quiet about it?
1. Prologue

_Author's Note:_

_This is my first fanfiction. I've started writing stories, and I gave up on them before. But I'm committing to this one. I want to see it though to the end, this time! _

_This story is based on the original _Fright Night_, one of my favorite movies of all time. But this story is also inspired by Syfy's _Being Human_, which is a TV show. If you've seen the show, you might read this and think that it is a total rip-off, and perhaps you would be right. But I needed to get some inspiration from somewhere, and Being Human had the best representation of werewolves I could find, so yeah. Keep in mind that it is NOT a _FrightNight/BeingHuman_ crossover._

_Also, the only characters from Fright Night that I'm including in this fanfic (unless I decide to a cameo of some sort) will be Jerry Dandridge and Billy Cole. Don't get me wrong, I love Charlie, Evil Ed, Peter Vincent, and __Amy. But this story has a different setting, and with a different setting comes different characters._

_Despite the fact that this fanfic is based on the 1985 version of Fright Night, and despite that the movie takes place in the '80's, this story is going to take place in the 21st century. I'm sorry; I wish I could stay true to the time period of the film. But to be honest, I'm only a teenager and I wasn't alive yet to witness the '80's (I heard the '80's were awesome, though). So I know I would slip up and talk about cell phones or Barack Obama, or something else that comes with the present time period, if I had it take place in the '80's. Sorry about that. :(_

_Another thing you might want to know is that I'll be switching the point of view from character to character. I'll state whose POV it is before each chapter. I apologize if that gets confusing at all. I tried to make it work. :P_

_Anyways, I hope you enjoy! I'll be posting new chapters as frequently as possible. Please make me smile and post a review. I like to smile. :) ~Maya  
><em>

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><p><em><em>Amber's POV (point of view)<em>_

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><p><strong>It would have been a hell of a lot easier on me if I had just died.<strong>

**If that werewolf had just mauled me to death, I would no longer have anything to worry about. I could have put all of my troubles behind me. No more stress. No more sorrow. No more pain.**

**But, by some cruel twist of fate, I was spared of death that night. I was happy to be alive then. I was relieved. I was unaware of the curse that was inflicted upon me.**

**I bet you can imagine the look of pure horror and confusion on my face during the first turn.**

**Imagine your bones crunching and scraping against each other, rearranging themselves. Now imagine how it feels without anesthetics.**

**But the pain wasn't even the worst part. The worst part was that I had no idea what was coming. I was not prepared in the least. I was taken by surprise. I had no control over the circumstances.**

**Then again, nothing could have prepared me for that.**

**It took me a long time to get used to the fact that I was a werewolf. It took me even longer to accept it, to not hate myself for what I had become. The whole werewolf thing had shattered my old life, and so I left everyone I held dear from my old life, hoping to start from scratch. And so I did. I moved to a new town, got a new house, a new job. Things began falling into routine. I'd be as human as possible for 29 days of the month, and I'd do my best to isolate my inner beast on the full moon. My new lifestyle soon began to feel normal after I had practiced it for a while. I knew I was far from normal. But I had worked so hard to organize my life that I was beginning to believe that everything was turning out to be fine.**

**It's funny how after you've worked so hard to achieve normalcy, something chaotic gets thrown into the picture and ruins everything. Something out of the ordinary completely thwarts your plans, makes everything go wrong.**

**When I say "something chaotic", I mean a man. Not in the way you may be thinking! It was a completely normal day, a day like any other. But during that day, something, seemingly small and insignificant, changed my life forever. It was the day when my normal, perfectly human lifestyle was stripped from me and was thrown out the window, for the second time.**

**It was the day Jerry Dandridge moved in next door.**

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><p><em>If you're not liking the looks of this story because of the short prologue, please don't go yet! I assure you that most of the chapters are at least above 1,000 words. Some of them are rather long. Trying to make this more like a novel than a one-shot. :D<em>


	2. Ch 1: That Time of the Month

_Still Amber's POV._

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><p><strong>*BRAYNK!* *BRAYNK!* *BRAYNK*<strong>

**I awoke with a start. I flailed my legs around, kicking off my covers in a frenzy. I sat up and twisted my head around, groggily searching for what had disturbed my sleep and interrupted my dream. It was a good dream, and I was pissed that it had to end so soon.**

**I soon realized it was my alarm clock making the unwanted noise, as it continued to blare relentlessly. I swung my body out of bed, stomped across the bedroom (nearly stumbling over some household junk in the process), and slammed my fist onto the "off" button. It continued to sound the alarm. Not wanting to mess with it any longer, I simply pulled the plug. I grinned to myself, satisfied with the silence I was greeted with.**

**_Amber Waite, you really need to move that stupid thing closer to your bed. And maybe turn the volume down a notch… _I made a mental note of that.**

**I shuffled my feet carelessly as I moved into the kitchen. My cat, Hamlet, saw me coming. He immediately rose to his feet and meowed, wanting breakfast. I half-heartedly filled his food bowl with chunky cat food. I brewed a pot of coffee, and I sat at the kitchen table, coffee mug in hand. I pulled aside the curtains on a nearby window, so I could bathe in the sunlight while sipping my coffee. I did that every morning on sunny days. I was gaining energy from the radiance of the sun's rays, as well as the caffeine from the coffee. It helps prepare me for a long day at work.**

**_Wait… work? That doesn't seem right… Do I have work today?_**

**I glanced up to see the calendar pinned on my refrigerator. _Sunday. I forgot to reset the damned alarm. _I really was awoken from my perfect dream for nothing.**

**The dream wasn't really a dream at all; it was a memory from my old life. It felt so real, like I was reliving it. I was there, laughing my ass off alongside Nate. He always knew the right thing to say to make me laugh. He was so cheery and happy all the time. He used to get on my nerves with his seemingly unconditional good attitude. It just seemed unnatural to be that happy. He was like the total opposite of me. I tended to be more quiet and introverted. But when Nate was around me, he brought out my louder, crazier side. It's like I was comfortable around him, and it once scared me. I mean, I never knew that side of me until Nate came into my life. I never knew that when I laughed, it was loud and obnoxious, making my whole body shake. At least not until Nate showed up. We were best friends. And I was also in love with him.**

**Anyways, he said something funny, and I was laughing like a moron. I wiped the laughter-tears from my eyes, and between choked laughs, I accidentally said "I love you". And that actually happened, not just in the dream. That _actually happened_. And it was an idiotic thing to say at that time and place. It was the weirdest time to confess my feelings, but it just sort of slipped out. Not that I didn't mean it. Because I did.**

**He sort of froze then, with a dumbfounded expression plastered on his face. I calmed my laughter down, and realized my mistake. I must have repeated, "I'm sorry" fifty times while he had that look on his face. I felt like an idiot.**

**But then he reached for me. He pulled me close. And then he kissed me.**

**It was the defining moment in our relationship. It was the moment our friendship had evolved into something more. I must have relived that moment a million times in my head, but never had it been so vivid as it had been in that dream.**

**I found myself crying, tears rolling down my cheeks and into my coffee. I wasn't bawling, per se. I was perfectly silent about it. But that dream, now that I had thought about it more, was wrecking me. I hadn't completely erased the memories of my past, despite my best efforts. And when one of those memories bubbled to the surface of my conscious mind, I was reminded of how great my life was before I was bitten. And I how I had to leave it all behind.**

**I sniffed and wiped the wetness off my face. I didn't need to start off my day like that. It was a beautiful morning, and I wasn't going to dwell on the things I couldn't change.**

**That night was the full moon, but I wasn't worried. I had it all planned out: I would go to the abandoned house next door and change in the basement, like I did every month. The back door is never locked, so I just let myself in.**

**The house may have been abandoned, but it was up for sale. It had been for sale for months, but no one was willing to buy it. The insulation was insufficient, the plumbing was probably God-awful, and the exterior of the house was… well, creepy, to put it lightly. The interior of the house was still creepy, but I didn't think it was all that bad. I found it kind of charmingly rustic. It was extremely dusty, but it didn't bother me. The basement was dark, but that didn't bother me either. There was no electricity connected, so I brought a lamp with me when I went there to turn.**

**After my morning cup o' coffee, I relaxed around the house, anticipating the full moon that night. As usual, I was packed up and ready for the change. I had all the essentials: bottled water, an extra set of clothing, a towel. And I had picked up a nice rump roast from the grocery store to bring along. After all, the wolf could get rather hungry.**

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><p><strong>At sundown, I headed out my back door, and across the lawn behind my house and the one next door. I always exited my house from the back, so as not to attract unwanted attention. My backpack was slung over my shoulder, and I carried the rump roast in a grocery sack.<strong>

**I stepped in through the back door and walked down to the basement. I dropped my bags onto the steps. I moved my hands up my blouse and began to unbutton it. As I unbuttoned, I reviewed the plan in my head to make sure nothing went wrong. I would put my stuff right outside the basement door, so they would not be ripped apart by the wolf, I'd shut the door tight, lock it from the inside, hang the key up high where the wolf can't reach…**

**"What the _hell_?!"**

**I screamed, and whipped around to see a man silhouetted in the doorframe.**

**_Shit._**

**I was breathing fast and shallow. I dared not move, a survival instinct I had that made it so the threat may not see you. But I knew that was useless, since it was obvious he'd already seen me.**

**"Who are you? What are you doing in here?!"**

**His voice was deep, and booming with volume. It sent shivers down my spine. I sniffed cautiously. _Why can't I smell him?_ My senses were heightened, since it was almost time for the change. So I should have been able to smell him. _Shouldn't I? _It was like he wasn't there at all...**

**My thoughts snapped back to the guy, who was now making his way down the steps. "What are you doing down here?" he said with a softer volume this time, but not losing the accusing tone.**

**"I-... Um-" I stammered, searching for something to say. My eyes darted in every direction around the room. I was feeling hopeless.**

**Suddenly I felt a pain in my chest. I was turning.**

**That was all the reminder I needed. I rushed past the man, rushed up the steps. I heard him shouting behind me, but I was too fast. I bolted out the door. I ran among the trees. I kept on running. I ran and ran and ran. _I need to get outside of town. Need to change somewhere where I won't hurt anyone._ The wolf was clawing its way out. My form was changing, even as I was running. All I remember was that I was still running when a haze covered my mind like a dark cloud as the wolf took over…**

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><p><em>Ooo, exciting chapter(I think)! :D :D<em>

_I'm just gonna say that Amber's werewolf transformations only occur once a month, and the chapters of this story rarely exceed a days time in the story's setting, so it'll be a while until Amber's next werewolf transformation. :( But, everyone knows that werewolf transformation scenes are the bomb, so I'll make sure that we'll see some more of Amber's furrier side later on in the story. ;)_


	3. Ch 2: Strange Behavior

_Note: In this chapter, the point of view switches to Jerry._

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><p><strong>I wasn't sure what was more strange; the fact that some loony woman was trying to undress herself in my basement, or that she left a rump roast, of all things, outside the basement door.<strong>

**_Perhaps I shouldn't have moved to this town_, I thought.**

**Normally I'd be out getting a bite to eat at that time of night, but I stayed at home a bit longer, and I tried my best to make sense of what had just happened. It certainly wasn't normal behavior, but she must have had a good reason.**

**I tried to piece things together, but I simply couldn't understand it. Maybe she was homeless. _No, that wouldn't make sense. Her clothes were too nice-looking. _Could she have been… expecting someone to meet her there? It might have explained why she was undressing herself. I thought about it, and regretted it. It was very rude to assume such things. Besides, what purpose would a rump roast serve for _that_?**

**I sat down on the living room couch, closed my eyes, and visualized the incident again, while it was still fresh in my mind. I was upstairs when I heard the back door open and shut. At first, I thought it was Billy, my roommate. But something told me to go investigate, and so I went downstairs, without making a sound. The door to the basement was partially open, and there was a backpack and a grocery sack next to the door. I looked into the basement from the door, and saw her.**

**She was quite pretty. Beautiful, actually. She had shoulder-length, wavy brown hair. She was tall, but not too tall. She looked like she was in her mid-twenties.**

**She probably would have made a lovely snack.**

**I considered that notion, and chuckled heartily to myself. I picked up the rump roast, carried it outside, and threw it among the trees for the raccoons. I put the backpack into the hall closet, not bothering to look inside it.**

**My hunger was really becoming bothersome at that point. I had been calling prostitutes, having them come to my house. Home food delivery, if you will. But I couldn't always count on my dinner coming to me. I'd just have to go out and find it.**

**Not wanting to postpone my feeding any longer, I stepped outside, unfurled my wings, and flew off into the night.**

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><p>I'm terribly sorry about the sickeningly short chapter. I swear I'll make up for it, though! :)<p> 


	4. Ch 3: A Howling Good Time

_Amber's POV_

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><p><strong>For the few days before the full moon, my senses are heightened. I can hear, smell, and see so much more clearly than usual during those few days, and my appetite increases significantly. I feel strong and energized, so I feel the need to exercise. I often jog and work out, which is probably what keeps me slim despite my increased appetite. I feel like a million bucks before the turn.<strong>

**But I always feel so awful the morning after the turn. My heightened senses and my energy are gone. You see, the wolf is literally inside of me. It's confined and trapped inside my human body most of the time, until the full moon, when it is permitted to come out. After the wolf had its fill of freedom for the night, it retreats back into me as I change back to human form. I'm still me the rest of the time, but the wolf's consciousness and behavior invades my own occasionally. She's still there, but not quite all the way. It's like a split personality thing.**

**Anyways, in the morning, you feel exhausted and weak. The day immediately after the full moon, and the day when there is a new moon, is when you feel the most human. To you, how I felt during those days may feel normal, maybe even good. But once you get used to having the wolf's influence on you, having a normal human's health, strength, and senses makes you feel miserable.**

**I was reminded of this when I awoke. I opened my eyes and found myself naked, surrounded by trees. For the first time in a long time, my wolf had been out in the open, and not confined to a basement. I was filthy, with mud smeared all over my body, and twigs and leaves tangled in my hair. In a few places, there were blood smears, and I dismissed them as blood from cuts the wolf had gotten whilst running around. I did not see the cuts themselves, but a werewolf heals faster than a human. Cells replace themselves faster, and tissue rebuilds within hours.**

**"My wolf must have had a howling good time last night," I said to myself. I grimaced as my stomach suddenly got queasy. I lurched, and threw up. Whatever the wolf had eaten the night before, my human body was rejecting. Wolf stomachs are built different than a human's. I coughed, trying to get the feeling of burning acid in my throat to go away. I didn't look at what I had thrown up, because I was sure the sight of it would make me throw up all over again. I stood up and made my way through the brush.**

**I didn't get very far before I stumbled upon a bloody mess in the grass. I gasped, horrified. It was a deer, or some other hoofed animal, but it was so ripped apart that it was hard to identify. The wolf had eaten a lot of its meat. I gagged, fighting the urge to vomit again. I veered away from the carcass, and sped up my pace.**

**I soon caught sight of a familiar highway, and I followed it back into town, but I stayed among the trees and bushes so no one driving past would see. I eventually made it to my back door without being seen. I went straight to my bathroom and showered. As I dried myself off, the image of the mauled deer flashed in my mind. I was relieved that I had made it to the woods, and that I hadn't killed any people… but I couldn't ever take that chance again. If I did the same thing to an innocent person that I had to that deer…**

**_Well, that won't happen, _I assured myself. _I won't let it happen. I can't let the wolf rampage like that ever again._**

**I was unsure what to do about it, though. Because obviously the house next door was occupied now, which means I can't invite myself in anymore and tear up the basement. I had to find a new place to turn, but I was in no hurry at the moment. There had to be plenty of places around town that would be perfect, and I had all month to find just one of them.**

**I tried to remember the guy who had confronted me the night before. He seemed pretty angry. I guess I would be too, if I were in his shoes. He had olive skin, sleek black hair, dark eyes, and a nice physical build. Quite handsome. I didn't think much of it, however. Handsome men were the least of my concern.**

**I faintly remembered a feeling of confusion and… _fear_? Something was _off_ about the guy, and my wolfy self had detected it. But what was it, exactly? I couldn't quite pinpoint it. I brushed off the thought.**

**I made my way to bed. The previous night's transformation was much more exhausting than it normally was. I needed the rest, but I'd have to miss work. I imagined the scornful look on my boss' face, and cringed at the thought. Hamlet jumped onto the bed and curled up at my feet. My energy was spent, and I drifted off to sleep almost immediately.**

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><p><strong>I awoke later that evening. I glanced at the alarm clock, which read 7:15. Hamlet was off my bed now, and I heard him meowing in the other room. I found him sitting by the front door. I opened the door and let him outside. I watched him curiously. He always wandered off somewhere when he was outdoors, and I never knew where to, but he'd always return for food.<strong>

**Hamlet, however, knew I was still standing there, and he stayed put on the sidewalk, grooming himself. I grew uninterested, and began to close the door, when something caught my eye.**

**A car had just pulled over in front of the house next door. I waited, hoping the man I had encountered in the basement would come out of the car. Instead, a blonde woman stepped out, dressed in an all-too revealing blue dress, and there was no doubt in my mind that she was some sort of prostitute.**

**The woman walked up the steps and knocked. I couldn't see who opened the door, but I heard a masculine voice say "Hey there, come on in! Well, lookie here" as the woman entered the house. That guy's voice was different than the one that belonged to the guy who confronted me before. _Are two different men living together? Are they a gay couple? What's with the hooker, then?_**

**The door shut, and their voices were inaudible. I noticed a window to an upstairs room that wasn't covered by blinds, and I saw a flicker of movement inside. I went back inside and went upstairs to get a better look. I went into an empty bedroom that was closest to next door. _This house is too big for a person who lives alone, _I mused. I pushed two of the blinds apart with my fingers and peeked through. My window was directly across from the neighbor's. _How convenient._**

**Now, I felt kind of bad for spying like that. It was a very un-neighborly thing to do. I didn't do it for any particular reason, but something inside me just told me to check it out. I guessed it was my wolf, just being paranoid and messing with me.**

**The hooker was stripping off her clothes, right in plain sight. As I watched her, I seriously began to doubt my wolf's instincts. I mean, it just looked like she was doing her job, nothing more. What's the big surprise there?**

**But then, someone else entered the room. That feeling of dread inside me only grew more intense when he stepped in. I instantly recognized him as the guy from the basement. I had no idea what the problem was with my wolf. Why was she so disturbed by this man? I tried to calm her down, but it was in vain. There's just no reasoning with the wolf.**

**The guy approached the woman from behind, but the sleazy look on her face told me she knew he was coming. She was in her bra and underwear at this point, but he was still fully dressed. She said something to him, and she smirked, so I assumed he must had said something quirky. He didn't appear to say anything or have any reaction. He moved behind her, and began kissing her neck. She gladly hung her head to the side, giving him full access. He kissed her neck multiple times, and I started thinking that he might have some weird obsession with necks. I chuckled at the thought, but my amusement was short-lived. The bad feeling inside me became so extreme that I could nearly hear it screaming "danger, danger!", and it drowned out all my other thoughts. And I was taken aback in horror at what I saw next.**

**The man's head rose, with his mouth gaped open. His _fangs_ flashed in the moonlight before he sunk them deep into the woman's neck. I jerked away from the window and stumbled out of the room, the woman's scream ringing in my ears all the while.**

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><p><em>This chapter was fun to write. Isn't it awesome that Amber has a Spidey-er, I mean- Wolfy-sense? :P<em>


	5. Ch 4: An Invitation to Drink

_Jerry's POV_

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><p><strong>After I had my fill, I called Billy into the room. I motioned to the woman's body laying on the floor, turned away. I didn't want to look at it anymore. I cared not what he did with the remains. I just wanted it gone.<strong>

**"Take care of that, will you, Billy?"**

**"Course," he said. Without another word, he picked up the body and made his way downstairs and then outside.**

**It was still early in the evening, and I had eaten, so I had the rest of the night to do as I pleased. I pondered about what I would do with my time, but thought of no good ideas. I walked down the stairs and snatched an apple from the fruit bowl in the kitchen. I bit into it with a satisfying crunch, and went into the living room and sat on the couch, still gnawing at the apple.**

**I sat there for a few minutes, silent, without any thoughts. Soon enough I heard the engine start on Billy's car. That usually meant that the body was loaded up and Billy was about to drive it off to someplace. My hand came to rest at my side, and it touched something beside me. I looked and saw that it was the purse the woman had brought in with her. I didn't want the police to find that in my house if they came to investigate (which had happened to me on multiple occasions before), so I strided outside with the purse in hand. Billy was just about ready to drive off when I stopped him.**

**"You forgot something." I tossed the purse casually at him.**

**"Right. So Jer, what are you doing tonight? Since you've already eaten and all…"**

**"Probably nothing," I said.**

**"Okay. Well, see ya in a bit, then."**

**"See you."**

**After he left, I sat on my front porch steps, enjoying the crisp night air. I heard a noise from the house next to me, and I turned my head to look. I saw a woman walking down the steps and onto the sidewalk. She stopped in front of her house and looked in my direction.**

**She had her head down as she walked, and her jacket was tightly wrapped around her. Her stare remained on me for another few seconds, enough time to recognize her before she turned and walked fast-paced in the opposite direction.**

**"Hey," I called out, trying to get her attention. She didn't look back, and she quickened her pace even more.**

**I got up and jogged, catching up to her. "Hey," I called again as I got closer.**

**"_Get away from me_!" she shouted, breaking into a run.**

**"Please, stop," I pleaded. "I mean no harm."**

**She stopped running, and whipped around to face me. "Bullshit."**

**I stopped about ten feet away from her. "Ma'am, I'd really like to know what exactly you're talking about, and maybe an explanation for why you were in my basement last night."**

**"You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about, you _asshole_," she spat. Her long hair was blowing into her face as she spoke, and she reached up to brush the strands away. She was shivering slightly, which I understood, as it was quite chilly out there that night, for human standards anyway.**

**I was getting aggravated. "No, I really don't."**

**"I saw what you did. You are a murderer. A _murderer_!"**

**I paused, a bit shocked. It took me a moment to process what she said. I shook my head as if to clear it. "Look, you might want to keep it down. People could hear you."**

**"GOOD!" she yelled. "Everyone should know! You are a cold-blooded _killer_!"**

**At that point I was really considering killing her right on the spot, but I didn't want to do that unless it was necessary.**

**"Okay, okay, just calm down a minute. What's your name?"**

**She was silent.**

**"Look, how about I get you a cup of coffee and I'll explain everything, eh?"**

**"Are you _freaking serious_?! _Go to hell_!" She turned and began to walk again.**

**"Why were you in my basement last night?" I asked again.**

**"Leave me alone," she replied, and continued walking.**

**"Are you heading to the police station?"**

**Silence.**

**"If you are, you… you don't want to do that."**

**She turned to face me again. "And why not? Give me one good reason."**

**I paused. "Because I could kill you, too."**

**"You wouldn't. Two girls in one night is overkill, even for someone like you."**

**"I would if I had to. _Don't_ make me have to."**

**She suddenly seemed surprisingly calm. She took a couple steps closer to me, and looked me up and down, as if sizing me up. Like she was _challenging_ me. "No you won't. You won't kill me."**

**"What makes you think that I won't?"**

**She scoffed. "Well if you think you're so tough, go ahead and do it. Kill me, right here, right now."**

**I shook my head. "No, that wouldn't be fair."**

**She crossed her arms. "That defenseless woman you killed earlier didn't get a fair fight, did she?"**

**"Just don't go to the police. I assure you I had my reasons."**

**"You're not going to sway me, leech."**

**Once again, I was surprised. _She knows what I am, too?_**

**"I'll do anything."**

**She seemed to consider what I had said. "Anything, huh?" She scratched her chin. "Hmm… Nah."**

**"No, I'm serious. Tell me what you want, and I can get it for you somehow."**

**"Not falling for it."**

**"O-kay…" _Damn, she's difficult._ "Say you told the police about all this. What makes you think they'll believe you? With a story like that, they'll lock you up for sure."**

**Silence.**

**"So we have some issues to work out. We should probably talk it over before we make any rash decisions. How about that coffee?" I reached into my pocket and pulled out some dollar bills for her to see. "There's a coffee shop a few blocks down, correct?"**

**"No way. I'm not going anywhere with you," she replied.**

**I was growing quite tired of this. "I don't want to kill you. Besides, we'll be in a public place, right? Lots of people. Please, just accept my offer."**

**She stood there for a few moments, eyes narrowed at me. "Fine," she said finally. "But there is no way on this earth that I'd let you walk with me. Meet me there in fifteen minutes."**

**I exhaled, relieved. "Okay, excellent. I'll see you there."**

**She huffed, and walked off, not looking back. I watched her until she was out of view.**

**I hung back a few minutes, and then I walked down the same road she had taken. If she wanted answers, I was going to give them to her. But she still needed to explain some things, too.**

**I wasn't particularly happy that she knew what I was. It may give her the upper hand in the situation. But I had been around a long time, long enough to pick up on some tricks. I knew a thing or two about wooing a woman. I knew that with a little charm, she'd be putty in my hands. Everything would go smoothly from there. Every other woman I had seduced were all too easy to convince. What could possibly be different about this one?**

**She had a temper, that much was certain. Also, since she knew what I had done, what I was capable of, she was quite courageous to talk to me that way. But all those qualities wouldn't be enough to save her in the end; I was sure of it.**

**At least now I had something to do for the remainder of the night.**

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><p><em>I got nothin'. XD<em>


	6. Ch 5: Hiding Out

_Amber's POV_

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><p><strong>I never made it to the coffee shop. Instead, I took a "wrong" turn and went to my friend's apartment in the opposite direction. My neighbor may have been a serial killer, but he was extremely gullible. It was laughable, really.<strong>

**Or perhaps he wasn't as gullible as I thought. Maybe he was just overconfident; maybe he believed he had the advantage somehow.**

**Although he might have viewed me as a weak little girl, in truth, I was his equal. He just didn't see it.**

**Well, I wasn't _exactly_ his equal, considering he killed people and I did not. Also, he was a blood-sucking parasite. A vampire.**

**I didn't need Google to figure him out. I mean, I saw the fangs. I saw him bite the neck of a woman. What else could possibly explain all that except that he was a vampire?**

**I didn't know much about vampires. In fact, I didn't really know they existed until now. I never considered the possibilities that other supernatural beings were out there. Vampires were the stuff of nightmares, thought to live only in novels and on the big screen. It was all very traumatizing. Werewolves, vampires… what's next? Bigfoot?**

**Anyways, I went to my friend Gabriella's apartment. I was headed there in the first place, before Dracula stopped me in my tracks. Gabriella had been my best friend since childhood, and the only person I still talked with and visited from my old life. Shortly after I moved away, Gabriella had tracked my location to my current city (not creepy at all, right?), and went through all the trouble to move to the same city with me. Although the whole point of moving was to get away from my old life to protect the people in it, I was thankful she was here. Having a friend around made me feel… more real.**

**I knocked. She answered the door, and as soon as she saw me, she pounced on me and hugged me tight before I could even say hello. Too tight.**

**"Hi, Amber! How have you been?"**

**"Hey Gabby," I wheezed out. "Please… loosen your grip."**

**"Sorry, sorry," she apologized as she let me go. I sucked in a sharp breath of air. I wasn't much of a hugger, and hanging around Gabriella is just begging for a death by hug suffocation.**

**She smoothed out the wrinkles on my jacket and "fixed" my hair, while I just stood there and let her do her thing. This also typically happened when I was around Gabriella. She was _really_ touchy-feely, but I was used to it by now. Her habits had earned her the nickname "Grabby Gabby" in high school.**

**"Come on in, girl!" She threw her arm over my shoulders and led me inside. _Grabby Gabby strikes again._**

**She sat me down on her sofa, and she skipped into the kitchen. "Can I get you anything? Tea? Lemonade? Coffee?"**

**When she mentioned coffee, my mind slipped back to my killer neighbor, who was probably at the coffee shop by now. _He's probably crazy mad. But can he really blame me for ditching him?_ I imagined him, flipping tables over and shattering the coffee cups in a fit of rage, scaring the crap out of people, all because I outsmarted him. For some reason, the thought made me smile in amusement.**

**"He-llo?" I heard Gabby say. My head snapped up to see Gabby suddenly standing in front of me, hands on her hips. "Do you want something to drink or not?"**

**"No. I mean, no thanks," I said.**

**She sat down beside me, and she was holding a wine glass. She saw me looking at it. "Oh, I forgot. I have wine, too," she said, holding her glass in the air and shaking it so that the wine swished around in the glass.**

**"Yeah, I see it," I chuckled. "But that's alright, I'm not thirsty."**

**"Suit yourself," she replied, and she sipped her drink. Her nose crinkled and her eyes squinted, as if she had tasted something sour. "Strong stuff."**

**I smirked. "I didn't know you drink."**

**Gabby scoffed at that. "I don't. I got the wine bottle for my birthday last week, and it's been sitting in the back of my fridge until now."**

**_Her birthday. I totally forgot it._ I felt terrible. "Oh, gosh, Gabby. Your birthday… I'm so, so sorry I didn't make it."**

**"Oh it's okay. It wasn't really a party anyway," she smiled warmly. "Don't worry about it."**

**"But it's not okay. I'm an awful friend."**

**Gabby suddenly grew serious. "No Amber! Don't ever say that. You're an amazing friend." She scooted closer to me. "But you have been getting kind of… _reclusive_ lately. You know if there was something wrong, you can always talk to me, right?"**

**"Of course!"**

**"Okay, good."**

**There was an awkward silence. I struggled to find something to say. "So, who gave you the wine?"**

**"Nate sent it in the mail."**

**_Nate._ My heart broke inside. I was sorry I asked.**

**"He misses you, you know," said Gabby.**

**"How do you know?" I asked.**

**"We keep in touch. Letters, mostly."**

**"You didn't tell him that I was here, did you?"**

**"No-no-no, I just tell him that I miss you too, as always," she said. "When are you going to tell me why it's so important for me to keep it a secret from everyone?"**

**"It's complicated, Gab. Things just aren't the same as they used to be."**

**"Tell me about it." She turned away, taking delicate little sips from the wine in silence.**

**I looked at her. I never said it aloud, but I had always been jealous of Gabby. She was superior to me in every way. She was well-liked, and she had a boyfriend. And she was beautiful; her pretty blonde hair, her shining blue eyes, her petite frame. I had boring brown hair, and dull green eyes. She was successful in life, and I was still struggling to keep things in line. She was everything I had strived to be, but failed. I respected and admired her more than she could ever imagine.**

**"You're amazing, Gabby," I said. "You know that, right?"**

**Gabby hugged me again, softer this time. "You're amazing, too. Remember that." I hugged her back for once, and for once I found it soothing. I checked the time. I didn't want to leave, but I had to get home. "I need to get home and get to bed. I missed work today, and I can't let that happen again."**

**"Mmkay. Do you want me to drive you?"**

**I thought about my neighbor again, and I figured I didn't want to be walking around town in the dark with him angry at me.**

**"Sure, that'd be great. Let's go."**

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><p><em>Okay, I admit I added Gabby to the story a bit abruptly. I hope it wasn't too confusing. She plays a big part in this chapter, but I assure you that she's just a side character. I included her to help build on Amber's character. She'll more than likely appear later on in the story. <em>_And I also assure you that although there was a lot of cuteness going on between Amber and Gabby in this chapter, it is purely friendship cuteness, not romance cuteness. Just thought I'd clear that up. XD_

_Right now, Jerry and Amber are pretty bitter towards each other. Don't worry, their feelings will "level up" to bittersweet soon enough. I'm taking it slow, though. After all, relationships need time to develop. And I think it's twice as cute when two people who hate each other eventually fall in love. I think it's about time they learned each other's names though, don't you? I don't know about y'all, but it's getting fairly annoying to me having to type "my neighbor" "the man" "the guy" "the woman", etc. all the time. :3_

_And thank you SO MUCH to all the people reading and reviewing this story. You guys are great. Really. :D :D_


	7. Ch 6: Dirty Little Secret

_Still Amber's POV_

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><p><strong>The next few days were (thankfully) uneventful. I had been worried that I would have to face negative consequences for missing work, but luckily I was let off the hook. When I wasn't at work, I stayed at home, indoors mostly.<strong>

**I hadn't seen my neighbor around. From time to time, I would sit down at the kitchen table, and gaze at the house from the window. I didn't see any signs of activity for three days straight. On the fourth day, Friday, I finally saw a guy come out of the house. He wasn't the vampire guy, though. He was a different guy, and I assumed the two were relatives or roommates. I watched him walk into the backyard and drive off in the car that was parked behind the house, which seemed peculiar. I didn't think much of it. But I wondered if this guy was a vampire as well.**

**I had also searched around my town for a new place to turn, but every suitable area I could find was on private property. I still had plenty of time. But if I had learned anything from the basement incident, it was that you can't count on any "cage" to always be available. I needed to find a good place beforehand, and not last-minute.**

**My thoughts switched back to my vampire neighbor. Did he pack up and leave, thinking I had told the police? Was he hiding out?**

**I hadn't told the police. I felt like I was doing an injustice to all my neighbor's victims, and to all those yet to die by his hand, by staying silent. But, as twisted as it may sound, I wanted to keep his dirty little secret for the time being, despite everything. Why? Because something about him, and how he acted, told me that he wasn't killing just to kill. He _needed_ to kill. Isn't that why vampires drink blood in the first place? Now, I am by no means saying that he was innocent. But, he needed to continue his reign of terror to survive. So technically, being the only one to know of his crime, I had the advantage. I had him in a vulnerable position. He probably knew that with just a slip of the tongue, he could be dragged off to prison and thrown in a cell. How would he feed _then_?**

**But then again, if I told the police, I would lose that advantage. The cops would handle it from there, and I would be forced to sit and watch, and my involvement would end there. I preferred having him at _my_ mercy, and no one else's. There was no reason I shouldn't use that opportunity for my own benefit, right?**

**Okay, I never said it was the right thing to do, but it was clever, I think. As I thought more and more about it, my confidence grew.**

**That Friday night, I suddenly had an idea. A perfect, yet terrible idea. I checked my watch. It was nearing nightfall. I battled with myself, considering the possible outcomes, the good and the bad. Finally, I made the decision.**

**I left my house, walked down the sidewalk, turned, climbed up the porch steps, and knocked on my neighbor's door.**

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><p><em>Sorry for posting another gag-worthy, extremely short chapter. I know I could have written more, but I thought that was the perfect place to leave off. Don't worry, I'm already working on the next chapter, which by the way will be in Amber's point of view as well. :)<em>


	8. Ch 7: A Deal With Dracula

_Still Amber's POV_

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><p><strong>One of the guys answered the door, and he was the guy I had seen earlier that day. He creaked the door open and stuck his neck out to see me. I smiled briefly in greeting, and he goofily smiled back. "Hey," he said, as he stepped out into full view.<strong>

**"Hi," I replied. "Um… I was wondering if I could discuss something with-" I paused awkwardly, not knowing how to address him. "-a certain person here." My voice squeaked as I talked, and the confidence I had before was quickly wearing away. I looked down at my feet, embarrassed and feeling like an idiot. I glanced back at him to read his facial expression.**

**"Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, keeping the goofy smile. "And who might you be?"**

**"I'm Amber Waite, your neighbor. I, uh, just wanted to…" I searched for something to say. "...to welcome you to town. Just thought it would be a nice thing to do." I groaned on the inside. _Ouch. I sound so fake. No way he's going to take me seriously._**

**I stood there, looking down at my feet still, and he was silent for a few moments. Although I didn't see his face, I could feel his stare.**

**Suddenly, he stuck his hand out. I looked up to see him grinning still, but with a less intimidating look in his eyes. "Well, it's great to finally meet you, Amber Waite! I'm Billy Cole."**

**I eyed his hand warily, and then slowly reached out to grab it. He shook it fairly hard. "Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Cole," I said back.**

**"Would you like to come inside?" He gestured into the house.**

**"Yeah, that would be nice," I nodded, smiling politely. "Thank you."**

**I followed him inside. The inside of the house was the same, save for multiple boxes lying about.**

**"It's kind of a mess because we haven't finished unpacking, but I'm sure I can find you a seat somewhere." Billy moved cleared some boxes off an antique-looking couch. "Here, this'll work, right?" He patted the cushion.**

**"Yes, thank you." I sat down.**

**"I'm afraid I'm going to have to head out in a few minutes. But my roommate, Jerry, should be waking up about now."**

**_Jerry. So that's his name._ I suddenly felt like laughing. _Well, that's the most badass vampire name I've ever heard._**

**"_Jerry! Wake up!_" shouted Billy. "There's someone here! She's our neighbor and her name's Amber Waite."**

**I heard a bump come from below me, below the floor. "Yup, he heard me. He'll be up in a minute. I gotta get going, though." Billy went out the door. On his way out he called, "Again, it was nice to meet ya!"**

**He shut the door behind him, and all was quiet. As soon as he was gone, I began to regret the whole idea. I scolded myself for not bringing anything for protection. The full moon was a long ways off, and I still had normal human strength. I was vulnerable, fragile.**

**I heard steps coming up the basement stairs. I tensed, ready to spring up and bolt out the door if he tried anything. I heard him moving around in the next room. He finally appeared, clutching an apple in his hand. He leaned against the kitchen door frame, facing me.**

**"So, your name is Amber, eh?" Jerry smiled, and somehow induced a yawn.**

**I shifted in my seat. "Yes."**

**He tossed the apple into the air and caught it in his hand. "So I take it you've met Billy."**

**"Yes."**

**"Good, good." He reached back with his free hand and scratched the back of his head. "You wanted to talk about something?"**

**"Yes."**

**"Is that all you're going to say this evening?" He smirked, and bit into the apple.**

**I cleared my throat. "No."**

**He chuckled at that. He disappeared into the kitchen again, and came back with a wooden chair under his arm. He placed it across from me and sat. "Well, let's talk then, shall we?"**

**I nodded.**

**He wiped the apple's juice from his lips. "Why didn't you show up to the coffee shop the other night?"**

**I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I went to a friend's house instead."**

**"Why?" he asked again.**

**"Because I didn't want to be around you. I saw you _bite_ a woman's neck. Can you blame me for avoiding you?"**

**"No, I suppose not," Jerry replied. "But we would have been in a public place. I won't hurt you, but don't you think sitting here, in my house, is a bit more risky?"**

**"Perhaps. But I don't think you would have been comfortable talking about vampires in a coffee shop, anyway."**

**"Hmm, good point there."**

**"Yeah. I'm smarter than you think, Jerry."**

**Jerry chuckled. "Oh, really? I didn't think you were naive in the first place."**

**"Sure you did. You saw me and thought 'look at the cute little girl trying to be brave'. You assumed I was just as gullible as any other of your _prey_," I spat the last word.**

**"Amber, Amber..," he tsk-tsk-ed, "You mustn't assume such things. I was not wanting to kill you, nor do I have the desire to now."**

**"You sure? Because I'm pretty sure you threatened me the last time we talked."**

**"I did nothing of the sort."**

**"'Don't go to the police station, because I could kill you too'. Does that ring a bell?" I tried my best to mimic his voice when I quoted him.**

**"Okay, okay, another point for Amber. But I wasn't planning to kill you, ever. It was an attempt at intimidation, which didn't work," Jerry leaned forward in his chair. "You're right, I underestimated you. But I was wrong. You're different."**

**"How so?" I asked.**

**"You've got a different personality. You speak your mind, you're independent, and you're smart. It's been a few decades since I've met someone like you."**

**He was looking straight at me. His gaze was pulling at me, and it made me not want to look away. His eyes were a rich dark brown. It felt as if he was boring into my soul somehow by just looking at me. I shook it off, processing what he had just said. "Wait, wait, wait… Decades? How old _are_ you?"**

**"One hundred and fifty-eight, give or take."**

**"_Eww._"**

**"What?" he looked confused by my reaction.**

**"There is no way you're that old."**

**He shrugged. "You asked," he bit into his apple again. "It's not like I'm an old grandpa or anything."**

**"Uh, you kind of are," I said.**

**"No, I'm not. I'll be forever young. Being a vampire has its perks."**

**"I see…" I smiled. _Wait, why am I enjoying this conversation? I'd better cut to the chase._ "So, as you know, I'm the only one who knows about what you are."**

**"Yes, and I'd like to keep it that way."**

**"I haven't told the police as of yet-"**

**"And I appreciate that," he interjected.**

**I continued on, "-But I'm not feeling good about staying quiet about all this. You're taking lives, Jerry. It's not like you're just stealing $20 bills out of their pockets."**

**"I know all this already," he said, sounding slightly annoyed.**

**"Do you?" I said, unimpressed.**

**"Yes. You don't think I feel any remorse after I kill someone? I do, alright?"**

**"Mm. But that just isn't enough, though, is it? Anyways, I decided that we should make a deal."**

**Jerry scoffed. "What sort of deal?"**

**"An agreement. You do me a favor in exchange for my silence."**

**I could tell he wasn't liking this idea. "Okay, let's hear it."**

**I paused and took a deep breath. "Let me use your basement one night a month."**

**"That's all?"**

**"That's all."**

**"But what on earth do you need my basement for? Is this about Sunday night when I found you down there?"**

**"You don't need to know."**

**Jerry studied my face. "Well, I'm afraid I can't let you do that."**

**"Why not? Do you sleep in a coffin down there or something?"**

**He was silent.**

**"Oh my God. You're kidding me," I choked out.**

**Silence.**

**"You sleep in a coffin, in the basement?" I laughed loudly. "I was joking! Do you really? Oh my God…" I broke into a laughing fit.**

**"It's not a big deal…" Jerry said.**

**"You sleep… in a coffin… in the basement."**

**"Yes, yes. Don't wear it out."**

**"Wow…" I slowly calmed myself down. I wiped the laughter-tears from my eyes. "Well, you'd better move it somewhere else."**

**"I don't have any other place to put it."**

**"Yeah you do. This house is just as big as mine. You've got rooms upstairs, downstairs…"**

**He rubbed his forehead in frustration. "It's not that simple."**

**"Well, life isn't simple," I said. I was still smiling, despite everything.**

**"I've moved other things down there in the past few days, too. Lots of stuff. It look a long while to get it all down there"**

**I stroked my chin thoughtfully. "Tell you what; I'll come over tomorrow, and I'll help move all of your junk out of there, since you're so lazy. And we'll even leave your coffin down there until I need to use the basement. Deal?"**

**He looked at me for a long time, without saying a word. "Well..?" I asked.**

**"Alright. You've got yourself a deal," he said. We both stood, and we shook hands on it.**

**"Well, Jerry, I guess I'll see you tomorrow. What time?"**

**"Anywhere from 6:30 to 7 would be good."**

**"Ok, will do," I nodded. I was on my way out the door when he stopped me.**

**"Hold it," he said, holding up his hand.**

**"What?"**

**Jerry walked into the hallway, and opened a closet door. He came back over to me and handed me a backpack, the backpack I had left behind Sunday night and had forgotten. "Oh, thanks," I smiled at him and slung the backpack over my shoulder.**

**"Anytime," he winked. I walked out onto the sidewalk, and he stayed in the doorway. "Would you like me to walk you to your door?"**

**I laughed. "Well that's really thoughtful of you, but it's not really that far away." I gestured towards my house next door.**

**He laughed as well. "Right. Have a good night, Amber."**

**"Good night, Jerry."**

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><p><em>Wow, that was a really fun chapter to write! Looks like Jerry and Amber are warming up to each other a bit. And they finally know each other's names! Hallelujah! :D :D<em>

_I'm already crazy glad about all the reads and reviews this story is getting, but I'd be even more excited if I got a review or two on this chapter. You guys rock and you make me smile! :3_


	9. Ch 8: The Tell-Tale Heartbeat

_Jerry's POV_

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><p><strong><em>The rain was pouring all around him. This was not the usual downpour. This rain felt as if it did not consist of raindrops, but of a massive waterfall. It pounded relentlessly against his coat and his head with such a force that it caused him to stumble as he walked. The water was unbearably cold. The sounds of the of the rain hitting the cobblestone streets deafened him. He could not keep his eyes open for more than a second without water running into them, clouding his vision. He was freezing and blind and deaf from the unending assault of the rain, and he was staggering about, not knowing where he was going. But he knew he had to find shelter quick. Not only shelter from the rain, but a place to hide. Something was after him, and it was growing near now. He raised his hand flat against his brow to shield his eyes from the pouring water. He saw a yellow light up ahead. He was momentarily relieved. A house. The yellow light was glowing from a fire. Determined, he began to move in that direction.<em>**

**_But suddenly he felt claws raking the back of his neck. He screamed in terror and in pain as he felt his flesh tear. His heartbeat was the only other thing he could hear besides the pouring rain now, and it was beating faster than he had ever thought possible. Lightning flashed, and he could see the monster's shadow for a split second, and he saw its wings and realized that it was airborne. It was a flying demon from hell, and it was here to end him._**

**_He tried to pick up his pace, but it was for naught. He tripped, stumbled, and fell onto his front. He rolled onto his back, moaning in pain. He may have been deafened by the rain, but the terrible shriek that came from the creature was so loud that he could hear it now. _****This is the end, ****_he thought, not willing to fight, not wanting to run any longer. The creature pounced on him from the sky and sunk its long fangs into his neck. _**

**_And then everything went black._**

* * *

><p><strong>I gasped and my eyes shot open. It was dark in my coffin, and there was nothing to see, but I kept my eyes open anyway. I was scared. No, I was<strong>**_terrified_****. It had been a long, long time since I had felt fear like this, and I sure didn't welcome it. I felt really shaky. I shifted uncomfortably.**

**I had dreamed of a man, alone and trapped in a rainstorm, running from something. Well, I was the man in the dream, because I was seeing through his eyes. But then again, I was convinced that this man was not me at all, but a different man. There was no way that could have been me in that dream, I thought, because he had something within him that I never had.**

**He had a ****_heartbeat_****.**

**I had heard it and ****_felt_****his heartbeat in the dream, thumping fast and hard in his chest. It was strange; it was overwhelming. It was terrifying.**

**_It was just a dream, _****I told myself.****_A nightmare. That man was not me._**

**But, why then, did it feel so real? And why did I feel like I had experienced this before? **

**Why did it feel like a ****_memory_****?**

**I had been a vampire as far back as I could remember. I had no memories from my life, from before I was turned. I simply woke up one day, and I was dead. Yet I was alive. I awoke a monster, a monster that had found life in death. An abomination. But I didn't think of myself like that. Since my memories were erased, my notions of right and wrong, good and evil, were gone as well. Vampire "me" was the only "me" I had ever known. **

**But now, as I lay awake in my coffin, I thought about my missing past. I did not ask myself any pesky "who am I?" questions. But I wondered if I was a good man when I was human, or if I had a family.**

**I concentrated, attempted to dig up any other memories that could have been buried in my mind, but failed to find anything, not even a trace. Once I realized that it was no use, I decided to drop it, for now.**

**Next, I found myself thinking of Amber. When she had stopped by the night before, I was being honest when I told her she was different. ****_No, "different" is not a good word. It has a more negative sound to it, like it's excluding her from everything normal. She's unique_****, I corrected myself. ****_That's better._**

**She was good at getting on my nerves, it was true. But something about her stubborn, sarcastic personality was...****_attractive _****to me somehow. I couldn't explain it, but I thought she was quite charming, in an irritating kind of way.**

**Amber was also attractive in appearance. Every little physical detail had grabbed my attention-her wavy hair, her smooth curves, her stunning green eyes.**

**But there was also something else about Amber, something that had me curious. There was something very odd about her. It was already peculiar that she left a rump roast in my house and desired access to my basement. But another thing I just recently noticed was that she smelled… off. I have the ability to smell blood, which proved to be a real nuisance when I was hungry. I got the opportunity last night to get a whiff of Amber's blood, and its scent was slightly different than the blood of other people. It didn't smell bad exactly, just different.**

**I finally closed my eyes again. It was surely still daylight, and I knew I had to rest up some more. Amber said she'd come over again tonight, and I didn't plan to miss it.**

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><p><em>Oooh, looks like we've gotten a little taste of Jerry's backstory! I wonder if we'll get the whole backstory someday... :D<em>

_Just a heads up, in case any of my AMAZING readers have been wondering, there IS going to be a villain. That's right, my friends; this story isn't all romance! Every story needs a little drama, and a little action. I mean, mushy-romancey stuff is sweet and adorbs and all, but I can't imagine how horribly dull and boring the story would be if it was just all about the love, and never any interesting plot twists. Just picture it: a vampire guy and a young girl, hopelessly in love and staring into each other's eyes all the time. Bo-ring! Well, thankfully, that will never happen. (*COUGH COUGH*_TwilightSaga_*COUGH COUGH*)_

_Will be posting next chapter ASAP!_


	10. Ch 9: Betrayal

_Amber's POV_

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><p><strong>The next day, on Saturday, I watched the hours tick by, waiting until it was time to head over to Jerry's. I wanted to smack myself for looking forward to it, to seeing him again. The guy was deadly. But still, cleaning up a basement with a vampire is much more exciting than reading newspapers, which was what I was doing to pass the time. I had subscribed to the local Sunday paper ages ago, but I rarely read them. The untouched papers were stacked up in one of the empty rooms in my house, lonely and collecting dust in the corner. It was only now that I decided to catch up, to discover what had been going on in this small, boring town.<strong>

**I was bored that day, because I was waiting, and newspaper reading is extremely boring to me as well. You'd figure that boring plus boring equals boring, but it's amazing what you're willing to do when you're as bored as I was. So, strangely, it was entertaining enough to grab my interest.**

**I had picked up about five newspapers from the top of the pile, the oldest in my hand dating only to a few weeks back. I didn't really feel like reading anything older than that. Old news wasn't my news.**

**I sat on my living room recliner chair, papers in hand. I flipped through the most recent, the issue from that Sunday. I remembered that Sunday was the full moon, and the day I first encountered Jerry. I skimmed through the headlines on the front page, but when I saw what it the major story was, I was shocked. I read the title over and over again, making sure I had read it right. It read "Another Woman's Body Found in Becker County; Fifth Murder Victim in One Week"**

**My jaw gaped open. _Five in one week? _I couldn't believe I hadn't heard about this. True, I didn't have a television, and I didn't have that many friends here. But you'd think that with my town being so small, that even _I_ would hear about this from _someone_. I mean, Becker County is just "next door" to this county.**

**_Five bodies._ There was no doubt in my mind that Jerry was responsible for this. My shock turned to anger as I read on:**

* * *

><p>"The body of Hailey Madison, 24, was found by a shocked fisherman in a small<p>

creek late Friday night. The mutilated corpse was brought to the local police

station. Professional murder investigators have been called in, and will arrive

ASAP. Hailey's family has been contacted, and locals have decided to hold a

community memorial service next Tuesday for Hailey and four other victims

that are yet to be identified. One is believed to be Joann Burks…"

* * *

><p><strong>I couldn't read any more. I shut my eyes tight. <em>When is this nightmare going to end? <em>I shakily put the paper down onto my lap. I was thoroughly appalled, and now I regretted reading the paper.**

**I couldn't help thinking, _Does Jerry really need to kill this many people in such a short amount of time to survive, or is he just living it up by getting drunk off blood? _He _had_ to be killing more than he really needed.**

**_Why does he need to kill, anyway?_ Why can't he find some way to let them live after feeding off them? _There has to be a better way…_**

**…_Maybe there is no better way. Maybe the only way to stop this is to kill him. _I thought about it as my anger boiled. I wondered how one would go about killing a vampire. Wooden stakes? I fantasized about pouncing on him, pounding the stake through his heart, seeing the satisfying look of anguish on his face as he turned to dust. _He would be getting what he deserves._ My arms tensed up as I clenched my fists so hard that my knuckles turned white. Soon enough, my entire body was quivering from rage, causing the newspapers to fall off my lap and onto the carpet.**

**I was so, _so_ angry. And I could sense my wolf was getting upset too, because it's feelings of anger was swelling underneath my own, until I was dangerously close to being in a raging fury. I knew I had to calm down before I lost it and wrecked my own living room. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled. I felt my muscles loosen up as I began to relax. My breathing began to get more steady. At last, I was calm. However, my wolf took a little longer to calm down. A minute more of meditation and deep breathing, and my wolf was finally at ease.**

**I was still angry, but that anger was contained and controlled now. I leaned back in my recliner, my eyes closed.**

**At that moment, my telephone rang next to me so loud and so sudden, that I sprung from my seat and shouted, "AH!" My wolf jumped right along with me. I tangled my fingers through my hair in anxiety. I cursed out loud, directly at the telephone(which was resting on the coffee table), as if it could hear me. _Right when I think I have my emotions in check, _this _happens and nearly gives me a heart attack! _I snatched up the phone, which was still ringing, and nearly punched the "Talk" button. I did my best to gather any sanity I had left. I sighed harshly into the phone accidentally, and grimaced knowing that the caller surely heard that. "Hello?"**

**"Hey Amber."**

**"Gabby?"**

**"Yeah." She paused. "I need to talk to you."**

**"Okay, when?"**

**"Right now."**

**"Where are you?" I asked.**

**"I'm right outside. Or at least I will be in a minute. I'm walking to your house."**

**"Alright, I'll be right out," I said, hanging up. She sounded a little troubled. I couldn't imagine why.**

**I stepped outside. Hamlet ran inside before I closed the door. I looked for Gabby. Surely enough, she was speed-walking down the street towards me. I waved, and I saw her weakly smile as she finally reached me. I sat down on the porch steps, and she sat beside me.**

**"So, what's up?" I asked, concerned. She seemed sad.**

**"I need to tell you something."**

**"Well, I'm a good listener."**

**"I know," she paused. "But… I don't think you'll especially like what I'm about to tell you."**

**I was confused. "O-kay…"**

**She shut her eyes tight. "I'm moving back to Clarksville."**

**Now I was even more confused. "Why?"**

**"Because I miss people."**

**I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"**

**Gabby sighed. "And because Nate wants me to."**

**The mention of my ex's name ignited a new spark of interest. "What? Why?"**

**She buried her face in her hands. "I didn't tell you because I knew you'd hate me for it," she looked at me wearily. "But Nate… He's my boyfriend."**

**I looked at her for a long time just to see if she was being serious. "WHAT?!" I suddenly shouted at her. She flinched.**

**"I knew that'd be your reaction," she said. She looked down at the ground in front of her.**

**"Why are you dating him?! He lives so far away. Did you ask him out in a _letter_?!"**

**"No, he asked me," Gabby protested. "And we've been together for a long time now."**

**"How long?"**

**"Since you moved here."**

**I shut my eyes tight. "That long, huh?"**

**"Nate and I… We were heartbroken when you left," she explained. "He was just as confused as I was. We were so depressed, and one day when he mentioned your name, I broke. I cried and cried, but then he comforted me. And… we started dating."**

**"But you showed up here and found me soon after I left."**

**"Yes, I did," she continued. "But we still talked, in letters."**

**"OhmyGod, Gabby! How could you do this to me?!"**

**"I'm sorry, Amber," she said, not making eye contact.**

**"Sorry doesn't cut it!" I got up and stood in front of her. "You've betrayed me, Gabby. And you made it worse by keeping it a secret, for all this time."**

**"Amber, I'm sorry! I can't help it. I love him."**

**I put my hands on my hips. "He doesn't love _you_," I said boldly. "Nate probably has another girlfriend by now. I mean, come on. You can't possibly be this stupid!"**

**She stood up to face me. "He _does_ love me! I know because he wants me to move back so we can be together again, for real. And I'm going!"**

**I suddenly felt very hurt. "So you'd move all the way back to Tennessee, back to Nate, not knowing if he really feels the same way after _three years _of being apart from you. But you'd leave me alone here, even after all we've been through…" I trailed off. I shook my head, looking away.**

**"Amber, you can't expect me to live life alone and unhappy, without love."**

**"Of course I can't! But you're talking about _my ex_!" I glared at her. "How could you do this to me?" I asked again.**

**"I'm sorry, Amber. I've made my decision," she stated. She suddenly looked more serious than I've ever seen her before.**

**My anger at her, at Nate, and the whole situation finally made me snap. "FINE! GO! Go, and see how much he 'loves' you. But I won't be here when you come crying!"**

**"I WILL! GOOD-BYE!" She yelled in my face. She stomped off, down to road on the way to her apartment. I stood there, silent, but insane with rage.**

**I stomped back inside. Hamlet came up to greet me but I payed no attention to him. I screamed in frustration. Startled, my cat darted out of my way, and ran off to somewhere in the house to hide. I threw myself into the recliner, buried my face into a pillow, and screamed again. I knew I was acting like a tantrum-throwing toddler, but I had had enough. It was the most stressful day I've had in a long time. I still felt like I needed to yell at someone, to vent all my anger and frustration at them.**

**I looked at the newspaper sitting at my feet. _Jerry._Then I checked my watch. 6:40 PM.**

**_He'll do_.**

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><p><em>Well, looks like Amber's gonna yell at Jerry again. :P It may seem that you could totally remove this chapter and it wouldn't change the plot, but trust me. There's some really important things in this chapter that contributes to the introduction of the antagonist. You'll see what I mean in the next chapter. ;)<em>

_Also, I'm really sorry for the slow update. I was having severe writer's block because... well, I honestly didn't think I'd make it this far into the story. I was a little stumped on how I'd move the plot along and how I wanted certain things to fit into the story. But I'm back on track now, and I'm typing my fingers off! Thanks for being patient. :)_

_I'm already working on the next chapter. I'll post it way sooner this time, promise! :D_


	11. Ch 10: Vampire Laws

_Jerry's POV_

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><p><strong>I pushed open the lid of my coffin and sat up, awoken by the loud chiming of numerous clocks around the house. One of the first things I learned about the vampire life was that vampires sleep <em>very<em> deeply, so it takes quite a bit of loud noise to wake me up.**

**I groggily looked around the interior of the basement. I wasn't exactly thrilled about what Amber and I would be doing that night. Billy and I had nearly broken our backs trying to get all my possessions down there in the past few days, and now, for some reason, I had to move it all somewhere else. I was determined to get some answers out of Amber, but I would be patient about it. I would gain her trust before asking whatever it was about my basement that was so appealing to her.**

**"Billy? You there?" I shouted, then waited for an answer. Silence. I figured he went out again. I was unsure why he was leaving so early lately, but I didn't think much of it.**

**I yawned. I lifted my arms in the air, and I was in mid-stretch when I heard a knock on the door. _That must be her,_ I thought. _Right on time. But hopefully next time she'll be at least a couple minutes late._**

**I got out of my coffin and headed upstairs. The knocking continued, getting louder and louder. _God, why does she have to be so impatient?_**

**I opened the door, then leaned on the doorframe. "Why are you so eager to break my door down?" I said with a smirk on my face. "Just can't wait to see me?"**

**Amber looked _very_ angry. She almost growled when I made the comment. I looked her over. She held a newspaper at her side, clenched in a tight fist.**

**"You alright, Amber?" I put on my best 'concerned' face.**

**She scowled at me and didn't answer, but instead she advanced on me, shoved me, and walked into my house.**

**"Hey!" I protested. _Jeez, she must be having PMS at an all-time high right now._**

**She stomped into the living room, and I was following close behind. 'C'mon, Amber, what's the problem?"**

**"_This_ is!" she said as she slammed the paper onto my couch cushion. "Go ahead, take a look!"**

**I didn't 'take a look'. I kept my eyes glued on her. She was so mad, she looked like a red-hot firework about to go off. "Look, I don't know what you're getting at, but I'd much rather be hauling junk right now than argue with you. So what do you say we get to it?"**

**"I had _no_ idea you killed this many people, Jerry! This is too many," she glanced at the paper and shook her head in dismay. "Too many…"**

**I picked the newspaper off the couch and read the headlines. My eyes grew wide with surprise.**

**"Why do you look so shocked, Jerry?" Amber said, crossing her arms. "You're the one who's doing this, remember?"**

**"No, no… I didn't kill this many people, Amber. This wasn't me," I looked over the main article as I spoke. "At least not all of it." I heard Amber scoff at this.**

**"Who else could it be then?"**

**"I… don't know," I lied. I knew _exactly_ who was responsible for this. "I killed only one person last week, not five. Never five."**

**Amber scoffed again. "Yeah. Sure."**

**"I'm telling the truth! This isn't me!"**

**"I won't believe you. I refuse to."**

**"Well, then I refuse to keep trying to make you believe me!" I lowered my voice, not wanting to shout. "I'll figure this out. I'll find a way to fix this. But for now let's forget about it, alright?"**

**"Jerry, you can't 'fix' this! You can't bring dead people back to life."**

**_I wouldn't bet on that_, I thought to myself. I laid the newspaper back down on the couch. "Please, Amber. If you can't trust me, I understand and accept it. But you could at least have some faith in me. I could set things right."**

**"How?"**

**I sighed in annoyance. "I don't know. But please Amber, I need you to calm yourself." I looked her in the eye, giving her the most sincere look I could muster. "I'm sorry you got involved with this. This is too much for you to take in, to handle. This whole situation is crazy, I know. You shouldn't have to be burdened with all this; you don't deserve it." I inched closer to her, and slowly, cautiously, moved my hand to rest on her shoulder. "And I'm truly sorry for that."**

**She flinched a little at my touch, but I saw the hardened look in her eyes soften at my words, and I felt her relax. She didn't swat my hand away, like I thought she would. I didn't break my gaze with her. She gazed back. Although she was now calm, her facial expression was blank and showed no emotion. But her eyes told me otherwise.**

**Wanting to prevent any awkwardness between us, I smiled warmly at her. Ever so slowly, the corners of her mouth curled up, mirroring my expression.**

**And when she smiled back, I could have sworn I felt my heart beat again, even if just for a second.**

**She suddenly cleared her throat, and her hand reached up. She gently moved my hand off her shoulder. She turned away from me slightly. "Thank you." Her voice squeaked a little, which made me smile again, and she cleared her throat once more. "I mean, thanks for apologizing. This whole thing has been kind of... nerve-wracking for me, and I'm glad you understand."**

**"I do understand," I nodded.**

**She hesitated. "So I guess you also understand that I can get a little carried away when I'm stressed with all this."**

**I sighed in relief, glad that she had come to her senses. "Mm-hmm." I nodded again.**

**Amber looked at me. "You could at least try to deny it to make me feel better. 'Oh, no, Amber, you never overreact.' 'You are totally calm and collected, Amber.' 'Don't be so hard on yourself, Amber.'" Her voice dropped low when she tried to mimic my voice.**

**I laughed. "Well, you're fine _now_."**

**She chuckled softly, and then frowned. "But this is still bad," she said, gesturing at the newspaper.**

**"I know," I said. "I'll figure it out, I promise."**

**"Do you think it's another vampire killing those other girls?"**

**"Nah. There's not too many of us around. Vampires are scarce these days, and I quite like it that way."**

**Amber sat down on the couch, moving the newspaper to the armrest. I sat beside her, but kept some space between us.**

**She looked at me again. "Why?"**

**"Why what?"**

**"Why do you like it better with less vampires around? I mean, besides the obvious fact that there would be more killings. But… don't you ever want to be around… people like you? People who know what you're going through?"**

**"Nah, I'm fine by myself. I've been around long enough to know how to get around on my own. Also, less vampires means more freedom for me. I can go just about anywhere without getting any trouble from vamps defending their territory."**

**Amber contemplated this for a moment. "Why do you think there aren't many vampires around?"**

**"Well, we used to be in abundance. Until, a few hundred years ago, humans became aware of our existence. We were deemed unholy, and they sought ways to eradicate us. Soon enough, they were sending vampire killers, equipped with stakes and holy water, to destroy as many of us as they could. The vampire population was caught off guard, and many of them didn't make it. Eventually, with less of us around, people turned their attention to other problems. Eventually, people forgot all about vampires, and now, very few humans believe we exist."**

**"But that was so long ago. How come vampires haven't rebuilt their population since then?" asked Amber.**

**"Because the few vampires that were left, they created laws, laws we continue to follow to this day. They help keep our kind from getting exposed to humans again. According to vampire law, we can't turn anyone else into a vampire ourselves. _Recruiting_, they call it. There's only a select few vampires who have that responsibility. And even they need to keep the number of new vampires to a minimum. Which is why I need to kill the people I feed on, so they don't become vampires." I suddenly laughed.**

**"How is that funny?!" Amber snapped. "I thought we had established that killing people isn't a laughing matter. Not even close!"**

**I held up my hands. "No-no-no, I laughed because… well, I never thought I'd have to explain _vampire law_ to anyone before."**

**"Ha. I see."**

**There was an awkward silence.**

**"Are we ever going to get my stuff out of the basement? I don't know what time you go to bed, but I think we should get started before it gets late."**

**Amber nodded. "Agreed."**

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><p><em>Aww! First romantic moment! Well, maybe not quite romantic yet, but super cute for sure. :3<em>

_The next chapter will be in Jerry's POV as well. We need some more Jerry chapters anyway. The ratio of Amber chapters to Jerry chapters so far is 6 to 4, not including the prologue. So yeah, more Jerry is needed._

_Will post next chapter ASAP. Thank you again for reading! XOXO_


	12. Ch 11: Business Complications

_Jerry's POV_

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><p><strong>There was <em>so<em> much stuff in that basement. Amber must have thought I was an extreme hoarder. I felt embarrassed the whole time. The things I had down there weren't even useful; they were only knick-knacks I had collected during the course of my long life. I valued them, but I rarely looked at them. The cluttered junk somehow comforted me when I slept, as if they kept me company. But Amber didn't seem to mind.**

**We moved them upstairs to an empty(ish) room on the second floor. I chose that room because I knew it would be exhausting for Amber to haul all of that heavy stuff up the stairs. I was hoping that she'd get too tired after the first trip and forget about clearing out the basement. But to my surprise, she didn't give up. She didn't even complain about the hard work, not once. She eventually got tired and began to sweat a little bit, but she kept on carrying the junk upstairs without taking a break.**

**She was exceptionally strong for a woman of her size. I was amazed at how much weight she could hold at once. She was almost able to carry as much as I could!**

**We didn't talk much, besides the instructions I occasionally gave her: Put those in a box, put this on top of that, etc. She was nearly silent, mainly because she was always moving around. I marveled at her persistence. Indeed, she was a hard worker.**

**It took much less time for the basement to be cleared out than I had previously thought, only a couple of hours. I could tell that she was worn out, once she was done. She was almost panting.**

**"I think I should head home," said Amber. "I'm exhausted."**

**"Wait," I said. "Don't leave yet. I'll be right back." I went into the kitchen and grabbed a few dollar bills, then walked back to where I left Amber. "Here. I've got some money. Let me take you to the gas station, and I'll get you a drink. You must be parched."**

**Amber smiled. "I am, but that's okay. I can just get some water when I get home."**

**I shook my head. "Amber, I must insist. How many times do I have to offer a drink to you and be turned down? Come on, live it up a little."**

**She laughed. "Getting a drink at the gas station is not what I'd call 'living it up'. But I gotta admit, it sounds really refreshing right now…"**

**"Exactly. So let's go!" I held out my arm for her to take it.**

**She hesitated. "Oh, alright. If you insist," Amber said. She eyed my arm, which was still hanging there awkwardly. "But you don't need to 'escort' me." She giggled.**

**I dropped my arm to my side and shrugged. "Suit yourself."**

**We headed out the door together.**

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><p><strong>I arrived back home shortly after I had treated Amber to a root beer. She greatly appreciated the drink. She had gulped it all down in less than two minutes.<strong>

**I opened the front door and found Billy there, sitting on the living room couch, reading a book.**

**"Hey Jer," Billy nodded at me in greeting.**

**"Hey," I said, but I glared at him. "We need to talk, Billy."**

**He closed the book and laid it face-down on his lap. "What is it?"**

**I approached him. I saw the newspaper, which was still lying on the armrest where Amber had left it. "Did you see this?"**

**"I saw it, but didn't read it. I didn't know we were subscribed to it."**

**"We're not. Amber left it here."**

**"Oh, right. Amber. So how come you haven't drained her yet? You must be hungry by now."**

**He was right; I was hungry. But I limited my feeding to once a week, which I was addressing right now.**

**I ignored his statement about Amber. "Listen to this," I grabbed the paper off the armrest and read the headlines aloud. "'Another Woman's Body Found in Becker County; Fifth Murder Victim in One Week.' That sounds pretty suspicious, don't you think, Billy?"**

**Billy scratched his head. "I suppose… But why do you bring that up?"**

**I raised an eyebrow. "Cut the innocent act, will you? You killed those other girls."**

**"Well, well, that's quite an accusation there."**

**"The body count is towering. You don't need to go and gorge yourself on more people than you need. We have a deal, and you know it. Yet, you're violating what we agreed on."**

**"Jer, blood-drained flesh just isn't satisfying for me anymore. It has less nourishment without the blood, and it's also nearly tasteless. It may enough to curb my cravings for a day, but not for the whole week."**

**"_Five_ people. In _one_ week. Since when did you need five a week to survive?"**

**Billy shrugged. "I don't know. I just keep getting hungrier and hungrier."**

**"Well, you need to toughen up and deal with your hunger, not give into it." I sighed. "The whole point of this partnership we have, is to lay low. To be able to feed without anyone finding out, and without getting the police involved. You have done the opposite! You didn't lay low, someone found out about it, _and_ the police are now involved. Not only the local police, but professional murder investigators!"**

**"You mean, like detectives?" asked Billy.**

**"Yes Billy, like detectives." I rubbed my forehead in frustration. "This is a small town. They can narrow the suspects down to the two of us in the blink of an eye. You really screwed up. I mean, wow, how reckless can one guy be?!"**

**"Chill. I'll take care of it."**

**"No, Billy, you won't. Once you've started, you can't stop. It'll just keep getting worse and worse."**

**"You think I don't have the willpower to resist the hunger?"**

**"Nope. You've pretty much proven that you don't, and that you're beyond helping."**

**"So what are we going to do about it then?"**

**I thought about it for a minute. I took a deep breath.**

**"I want you to leave. Our partnership obviously means nothing to you, so there's no need for you to stay here any longer," I said.**

**"Wait… What?! You can't be serious."**

**"I'm deadly serious."**

**Billy got up from the couch to face me. "You can't do this to me! You won't! We've been doing this for years and years."**

**"And now you'll be free, no longer restricted by my rules and requirements. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"**

**"This isn't happening…"**

**"Oh, it's happening. I can't keep covering your tracks every time you slip up like this. Our deal is _over_."**

**Billy suddenly swung a punch at me, hitting my cheek. I punched him back in the stomach. He coughed, the air knocked out of him from the blow. I pushed him against the wall, pinned him, and then grabbed him by the throat, squeezing it hard.**

**Anger surged through me. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to bite the hand that feeds you?" I sneered through clenched teeth. "You deserve to die. In fact, I'll kill you right now, no problem. I could rip you apart, piece by piece. "**

**Billy choked loudly. "Please," he forced out. "I- I'm s-sorry!" He squirmed, desperate to break free. His eyes pleaded with me to let him go, to spare him.**

**I can't explain why I didn't kill him that day. Perhaps it was just the look in his eyes, eyes that shone with fear, fear of _dying_. I never knew what it felt like to fear, or anticipate, death. As strange as it may sound, I admired his mortality. I just couldn't bring myself to kill him.**

**Billy choked loudly, starved for air. I leaned my head in slowly, and nearly laughed ****at how he struggled and squealed, thinking I was going to bite him. I whispered menacingly into his ear. "_Get out._"**

**I released him from my grip. He hungrily sucked in air, his chest heaving. He lingered as he tried to catch his breath. "Get out," I repeated.**

**Billy stumbled to the door. He opened the door, but before he went out, he turned to me and glared. "This isn't over," he sneered.**

**"_Out! NOW!_" I yelled at the top of my lungs. He hastily made his exit.**

**I turned away from the door, and listened to the sound of his car engine starting outside.**

**Although I was very angry with Billy, a small part of me regretted sending him away. I had met Billy about twenty years before. He was murdered in a past life, but was resurrected for reasons I never knew about. He was back in his body, and he was alive. But there's an order to things, both dead and alive. When something disrupts that order, such as a member of the undead, there's always a price to pay. For me, being a vampire, the price was having to feed on blood. Billy also had a price: feeding on human flesh. Consuming it kept him young, healthy, strong and most importantly to him, alive.**

**Anyways, when I first met Billy, he was confused and scared. Unlike me, he remembered his past life, and his afterlife (as a ghost, I guess?). Once I talked to him, and he revealed what he was, I got the idea that being around him may prove to be helpful to me. Sure, he wasn't a vampire; he had a heartbeat. But, I knew both of us had the same problems, considering we were both parasitical monsters and whatnot. And he also needed help.**

**So I took him in and we made a partnership. The deal was that I would drain the blood from the people I killed, and he would get the rest. This way, less people would have to die, and it made it easier to lay low. For Billy, the other benefit besides him getting flesh without getting his hands dirty, was having a place to stay, with me. I benefited from him when he acted as my garbage disposal, cleaning up my messes for me. And it also helped that he could walk around in daylight. It proved to be useful for certain things.**

**But lately, Billy had gotten a lot sloppier. I wouldn't have been surprised of the police showed up on my doorstep. I couldn't put up with him making such a childish mistake. I _wouldn't_ stand for it.**

**But now, I was alone again. Now I had no one who shared my problems, who knew how I felt and truly understood me. I knew that I'd be fine on my own, because I was alone far before I met Billy, and I fared well. Unfortunately, now I had lost the only being in the world whom I could call a friend.**

**I felt the uncomfortable pang of hunger in my stomach. I knew I had to feed, and soon. But I did not feel like eating, despite the hunger. I decided to just sit on the couch all night doing absolutely nothing, alone with only my thoughts to keep me company.**

* * *

><p><em>So, looks like Billy is a zombie. <em>_I always wondered what Billy was every time I watched _Fright Night_. I never figured it out, so I assumed he was a zombie of some sort. You will soon learn how he came to be in his flesh-eating state. I have some major plans for him. *rubs hands together in anticipation* :D_

_I felt bad for Jerry at the end of this chapter, as I was writing it. He's alone and friendless now._

_Or is he?_

_I'm also gonna let you all know that I added author's notes to the end of Chapters 1-4, and I also updated the author's note on the top of the Prologue. You might want to look back and check them out; they may give you answers to any questions you may have regarding the story's setting, characters, and time period. Thanks! :)_


	13. Ch 12: Life's Full of Disappointments

_Author's Note: This chapter is partially in Amber's POV, and partially in the 3rd person POV. It will switch the POV in the middle of the chapter._

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><p><em>Amber's POV<em>

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><p><strong>The day after I had helped Jerry clean the basement, Sunday, I got an email from my boss. The email was from last Wednesday (I don't check my email all that often). I stared at the computer screen, confused and skeptical. <em>What could this be about? <em>My boss, Gary, rarely made time to talk to the employees who did all the work, making the pizzas and all that.**

**Hey, I know what you're thinking, but don't judge! Zini's Pizza Emporium is a very high-class pizza place that was unique to town, not a chain restaurant like Little Caesar's or Pizza Hut. Well, technically, Zini's was located in a neighboring city, a city 15 minutes away from home.**

**I took pride in my job, and I was paid well. I had started out as a mere cashier, but I quickly worked my way up to actually making the pizzas. I was second-in-command in the kitchen, and I wanted to become head chef soon. It was a big responsibility, but one I knew I could handle.**

**I clicked on the email, hoping it was about promotion or a raise, but I should have known my boss wouldn't have emailed me for something like that. As I read it, the hope that had risen in me had plummeted like a boulder sinking into a lake.**

* * *

><p><strong><em>From: Gary Lennox, Manager<em>**

**_Amber Waite,_**

**_I regret to inform you that you have been fired. A chef with more experience and a higher education than you has been hired, and we needed an open spot. We picked the employee with the most flaws, and you were absent from work multiple times, so you didn't make the cut to stay. Your cooking appliances and utensils have been stored away. You can keep them if you desire, but you must come pick them up by Monday, or else it will all be donated to the other employees for their own use._**

**_Truly sorry,_**

**_Gary Lennox_**

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><p><strong>I exhaled sharply, because I had been holding my breath while I was reading. My anger was boiling over.'<em>Truly sorry' my a<em>_ss__! _**

**I was ready to head over there, march into all-mighty Gary's office, punch his teeth out while he sits defenseless in his sacred manager's throne, then march out with my cooking utensils.**

**But I didn't do that. I just shut down my computer, got up, and kicked the wall over and over again.**

**Once I was satisfied that the wall had a healthy fear of me, I went into the kitchen and slapped together a salami sandwich. I bit into it and chewed furiously.**

**I sat down at the kitchen table. I saw Hamlet cautiously enter the room from the corner of my eye. He was still a bit jumpy around me, since I yelled and scared him the day before.**

**Seeing him slink toward me made me feel a bit better. He approached me and I held out my hand. He sniffed it, then looked up at me.**

**"It's okay, Hammy. I won't scare you again." I said in a soothing baby-talk voice. He bumped his head into the palm of my hand as if he understood. He gazed up at me, and I smiled warmly at him. He closed his eyes, and I knew that was sort of like a cat smile.**

**I picked him up and set him on my lap. I laughed on the inside, thinking how ironic it was for a werewolf to be a cat person. I stroked him, and he purred loudly in response. But then he caught sight of my sandwich. He darted off my lap, onto the table, and made off with the meat. I sighed. I loved cats _most_ of the time.**

**I did some deep thinking as I sat there at the table. I thought about how my life had been turned upside-down so quickly in just the past week.**

**_Hmm, let's do a recap,_ I thought to myself. _Sunday: Jerry moved in next door and ran me out of the basement, making me have to turn into a werewolf out in the open. Monday: I woke up in the middle of the woods to find a mauled deer carcass, and later found out Jerry was a vampire after seeing him kill somebody. Tuesday through Thursday: I hid out in my house. Friday: I confronted Jerry, then I made a deal with him. Might as well had been a deal with the Devil. Saturday: I read about local murders in the newspaper and blamed Jerry. My best friend disowned me to go be with Nate, when she had just told me they were dating. Later, I again confronted Jerry only to find that he supposedly wasn't responsible for all the deaths. Also, I cleaned out his basement, which really and truly housed a COFFIN. Today: I lost my job (and my sandwich), and now I'm just sitting here feeling sorry for myself. Yup, what a swell life I have._**

**I didn't really have anything to do, so I figured I'd head over to Zini's and pick up my stuff (ex-boss-punching optional). After all, for some reason, Gary set a deadline, and if I didn't show up, he'd "donate" my stuff to the restaurant employees. I had paid for those with my own money, and therefore I planned to keep them. It was already after 6:00, so I had to leave soon. Zini's closes at 8:30.**

**So I went out to start my car out in the driveway, which is a green Jeep. Yes, I know; a Jeep is quite a big car for someone who lives alone. But, my house was also two stories high, with two bathrooms and two bedrooms. I like the extra room to roam, even though it costs more money. And that counted for my vehicle, as well.**

**I slid into the driver's seat and pushed the key in, but the car refused to start. The engine sputtered a couple times, but it died almost as soon as it came alive. I kept attempting to start the car until it stopped doing anything altogether.**

**"Damnit," I cursed at my terrible luck. I hit my head against the steering wheel in frustration. But then the thought of Jerry crept into my mind, and I looked over at his house from the car window.**

**I stepped out of the car and exhaled. I walked in front of the house and paused. "Jeez, I can't believe I'm doing this..," I muttered as I knocked on his door.**

**_So this is what I've been reduced to,_ I thought. _Asking a vampire for help. Great._**

* * *

><p><em>*Switches to 3rd Person POV*<em>

* * *

><p><strong><em>How could he do this to me? How? <em>This was all Billy could think. It repeatedly echoed in his head as he travelled down the endless stretch of highway. It caused his anger to grow more intense for every minute that passed. The only thing that made him feel better was thinking about how he'd get Jerry back for abandoning him in his time of need. He wanted Jerry to pay. _And he will pay. He'll pay dearly._**

**He had been driving all day, because he had taken a few wrong turns. After all, the only thing he had to help him navigate was his memory. But he was headed to the right town now, he was sure of it this time. He recognized the landscape, down to every last willow tree. He also recognized the multiple old, crumbling buildings that used to be the downtown area. Billy scanned his surroundings as he drove, looking for the broken lamppost which marked his destination.**

**Finally, he saw it and recognized it. There it stood, splintered down the middle, but somehow still standing. He swerved his car off the road and into an alley in between two old buildings. He knew exactly where he was going, but he never thought he'd ever go back there. It may have been home, but it had also been hell.**

**Screeching his vehicle to a stop, Billy stepped out, looking this way and that. It was dark in the alley, just as he had remembered. But where was the door? He walked farther down the alley, leaving his car behind. He spotted it, shielded from view by a couple of old dumpsters. On the door was a sign with red lettering that read "No Trespassing. Violators will be prosecuted."**

**'_Violators will be turned into frogs' sounds more suitable._ Billy chuckled to himself at the thought. But then, he was immediately filled with dread, unsure of how we would be greeted after being gone so long. He gulped and opened the door, not bothering to knock.**

**Inside, the dark rooms were illuminated by lit candles, which were strewn everywhere. _She's definitely here_. Billy took slow, careful steps down the hallway, looking from left to right to check the rooms he passed. It was all too quiet; his own footsteps was the only sound.**

**He slowly crept into the room at the end of the hallway, the room that glowed the brightest from the candlelight. There, in the corner, a cloaked figure was hunched over a table. Sitting on the table was a thick, heavy-looking book, and multiple bowls of strange herbs. The cloaked figure didn't turn around to see him when Billy entered the room. He paused, preparing himself for whatever would happen when he made his presence known.**

**"Eva?" he said, but choked a little as he said her name. "...Mother?"**

**The figure whipped around to face him. Billy saw her eyes peering from underneath the hood of her cloak, studying him. Then she reached up and removed her hood.**

**She smirked casually, and held her arms out as if wanting a hug. "Well, look who's back."**

* * *

><p><em>I'm so, so sorry if that got confusing when the POV was switched to 3rd person. I didn't really want to have to switch to Billy's POV for any chapters. It's aggravating enough having to balance the Jerry and Amber chapters, and it's really unnessecary to have Biilly's POV thrown in there. But 3rd person POV will work just fine, I think. Plus, when I use 3rd person POV, I can get into not just one of the characters' heads, but multiple characters. <em>

_Looks like now there is yet another new character thrown into the picture: Eva. I wonder what will come of that? :D_


	14. Ch 13: Temptations

_Jerry's POV_

* * *

><p><strong>When I opened the door, I was glad to see Amber standing there, and not the police. But I was glad to see Amber regardless. I smiled warmly at her. "Hello, Amber," I greeted.<strong>

**"Hi Jerry," she said. "I need your help with something."**

**"Oh? Well then, come in and tell me." I stepped aside so she could enter.**

**"Thanks," Amber nodded at me, then stepped inside. I followed her to the couch, and we both sat down.**

**"Is everything okay?" I asked.**

**"No, not really. But thankfully, this time, the problem is not anything to do with… you being a vampire."**

**I smirked. "I'll admit, I'm thankful to hear that."**

**She chucked softly. She looked hesitant to tell me what she needed to. She fiddled with her jacket zipper while looking at the floor.**

**I was starving for blood, and it didn't help to have her sit so close to me. I could smell her blood, and it smelled warm. Her scent was unique, so unlike what I was used to. It was taunting me now. But, I was a vampire mature enough to be able to control myself. And I didn't want to hurt Amber.**

**I remembered the night I first saw her, when I found her in my basement. After she ran off, I thought of her as my prey, nothing more. That she was a lost little lamb, and I was the Big Bad Wolf.**

**But now, I wouldn't dream of killing her. Now I had a strange urge to do the exact opposite: protect her. I wanted to be there for Amber, through anything and everything. But why? I told myself it was just because I was lonely without Billy, and that she kept good company. But I knew that somehow it was much deeper, much more complicated than that.**

**"I lost my job today," Amber finally said.**

**"That's not good. Not good at all," I said. "How did that happen?"**

**"I found an email from my boss-er, ex-boss-saying that I was replaced by someone with more experience and education. He didn't think I was good enough, so he kicked me out to make room."**

**"That's ridiculous!" I exclaimed. "I saw how hard you worked down in that basement. That boss of yours must be crazy to fire someone as hard-working as you!"**

**"Thank you." She blushed at my compliment. "But I guess he's crazy, then. Because now I'm unemployed."**

**"I'm so sorry." I frowned. "What can I do to help?"**

**"Well, I need to go pick up some things before tomorrow. Otherwise, my stuff will be given away. My car's broken down, so…"**

**"...So you need me to drive you there."**

**"Yes. I'm sorry. This is embarrassing."**

**"No need to be embarrassed. But, unfortunately, Billy left with the truck."**

**"When will he be back, then?" she asked.**

**"I don't think he'll be coming back," I replied.**

**"Oh, did you two get in a fight or something?"**

**"Yeah, but it's not a big deal."**

**She paused. "Well, I'm sorry I bothered you…" She stood up to leave.**

**"Wait," I stopped her. "Do you know what's wrong with your car?"**

**Amber shrugged. "No, not really. The engine didn't start."**

**"I could help fix it for you," I offered.**

**"No, that's okay, Jerry. I can call a mechanic."**

**I crossed my arms. "Why call a mechanic when you could get your neighbor to do it?"**

**"Because a mechanic is a professional," Amber said, crossing her arms as well. "Are _you_ a professional?"**

**I huffed. "I don't need to be a licensed mechanic to know how to fix things. I'll take a look at your car tomorrow. Not taking no for an answer."**

**She rolled her eyes. "Sure, knock yourself out. I don't mind. But I need to get to Zini's _tonight_."**

**_Zini's?_ I didn't bother to ask what that was. "And so you shall."**

**"But my car is broken down and you don't have a car."**

**"Well, I have a solution…"**

**"And what is it?"**

**I paused. Actually, I _didn't_ have a solution. But I would think of something. "What time does… _Zini's_ close?"**

**"8:30."**

**"Ok… Here's my idea. Maybe we could _borrow_ a car from someone."**

**"Excuse me?"**

**"Look, I know it's not a very good thing to do, but we'll just use it for a couple hours and return it. I can get it, no problem."**

**"You have a knack for being bad. You kill people, steal their cars…"**

**"I haven't stolen any cars, not yet. But it's just for tonight. They'll never notice."**

**"How do you figure? You need to actually _get_ the keys to the car you're taking before you can drive it off."**

**I rolled my eyes, but smiled. "Once again, Amber, you have a lack of faith in me. It's simple: I'll get the keys by compelling."**

**"Huh? _Compelling?_" Amber had a confused look. "What the heck is that?"**

**"You'll see. Do you know anyone who lives alone and owns a car around here?" I asked.**

**Amber stopped to think for a moment. Then I saw something light up in her eyes. "Actually, I do. Her name is Gabriella. She lives in that apartment complex just a couple blocks away."**

**"Let's go then," I said. "Lead the way."**

* * *

><p><strong>We walked to the apartment complex. When we arrived, I looked around at the cars parked in the driveway. "Which one is hers?"<strong>

**Amber pointed to a shiny blue sedan. "This one."**

**I nodded, then walked towards the building. "And which apartment is hers?"**

**"Nineteen. It's up there," she pointed up at the door, which was on the second floor of the complex. A staircase led up to a balcony, where Apartment 19 sat between Apartments 18 and 20.**

**"Perfect," I said, and I made my way up the stairs.**

**Amber hung back at the bottom of the stairs. "Jerry, wait. What exactly are you doing?" she asked. "You can't just knock on Gabby's door and _ask_ her for the keys!"**

**"Sure I can. You'll see," I smirked. "Come on up here. She might not answer the door**

**unless you're here with me."**

**She shook her head. "No, I don't know about that. She won't want to see me. She's holding a grudge on me, I'm sure."**

**"I see. Fine, come up in a minute then."**

**I approached the door and knocked. I waited, then knocked again. I heard a few clicks, the sound of the door unlocking, and the door creaked open slightly.**

**I saw a woman, blonde and blue-eyed, peering at me. "Hello," she said. "Can I help you?"**

**"That's Gabby," Amber whispered from the ground. Gabby didn't hear.**

**"Hi, I'm George Sanchez, and I'm from the local Lion's Club. We're hosting a memorial service on Tuesday for the girls who were murdered recently." I lied to the best of my ability. "Have you heard of it?"**

**"Yes, I have. It's really awful," Gabby said sadly. "Those poor girls."**

**I swallowed. "One of the victim's families has insufficient funds to pay for the funeral services and burial. I'm going door to door, accepting donations to help the family pay it off."**

**"That's very generous of you to do," she said. "Wait here; I'll go get my purse…" Gabby closed the door.**

**"You're a scary good liar, Jerry. I mean, wow," Amber said softly from below.**

**"Thank you," I whispered back. I turned my attention back to the door, which opened again, wider this time. She held a bulking pink purse, and the other hand was shuffling inside it. "Sorry… It's so hard finding my wallet in this thing," she told me. "Finding one little thing in this purse is like trying to find a polar bear in the Sahara Desert."**

**"It's quite alright." I knew I had to move this along. "Ma'am?"**

**Gabby paused. "Yes?"**

**I locked my eyes on hers and trapped her in my intense gaze. I concentrated. "What are you-" Gabby tried to protest, but her voice left her. I was controlling her just by using my eyes and my mind. I willed her to relax, and listen to what I was commanding.**

**"Everything is okay, Gabby. Everything is fine. Isn't it?" I spoke slowly and clearly.**

**She had a dazed, blank expression on her face. "Yes," she said with a tired voice. "Everything is fine."**

**"You're sleepy. You want to go to bed. Don't you, Gabby?"**

**"Yes, sleepy…"**

**"But before you can sleep, you need to do something for me," I said. "I'm going to need your car keys. Just for a little while. Can you get them for me?"**

**Gabby sluggishly pulled the keys out of her purse.**

**"Can you hand them to me, please?"**

**"Yes." She dropped the keys into my outstretched hand.**

**"That's it. Now, you're ready to go lie down and sleep. Won't that be nice?"**

**"Yes."**

**"When you wake up in the morning, you won't remember any of this. It will be like nothing ever happened. Is that clear?"**

**"Yes."**

**"Good. Now, go on to bed. Sleep well."**

**"Yes..," she said. She walked back into her apartment to her bedroom, leaving the door open. I closed it, and turned around to find Amber gaping at me with her mouth open.**

**"How long have you been standing there?" I asked.**

**"How… what did you just do? Did you just… _hypnotize_ her?"**

**"It's called compelling," I stated proudly. "Another advantage of being me."**

**Amber chuckled. "That's really cool, I gotta admit. So she really won't have any memory at all when she wakes up?"**

**"Of what just happened, yes."**

**"Wow."**

**"But we only have until morning. So what do you say we hit the road already?" I jingled the keys in the air for her to see.**

**She smiled and got in the driver's seat. "I'm waiting on you."**

* * *

><p><strong>Luckily, the car's gas tank was nearly full. While Amber drove, she continuously asked me questions about compelling. It was giving me a headache. I wondered if I'd ever get the chance to ask her questions of my own.<strong>

**"Can all vampires do it?"**

**"Most can do it, but it only a few can do it well."**

**"Can _you_ do it well? By vampire standards, I mean."**

**"I suppose…"**

**"Could you compel all the politics and make yourself president if you wanted to?"**

**"Why would I want to-"**

**"Could you compel my boss and make him hire me again?"**

**"Amber!" I shouted. Amber flinched and I instantly regretted raising my voice. "Oh, Amber, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to snap at you. Just, please… can we talk about something else?"**

**"No, _I'm_ sorry. I wasn't making any sense. It's just new and weird to me."**

**"It's okay. Really." I smiled over at her. "So where is this place… Tini's, is it?"**

**"_Zini's_," she corrected me. "And it's just a couple minutes away."**

**We both stopped talking for a moment. We were entering a city. It wasn't huge, but it was certainly bigger than our town. I had been looking out the window as she drove, memorizing the route we were taking. There was a lot of flat land here, in contrast to our town which had much more forested areas surrounding it. It was getting dark now. It was fall, so it got dark earlier. I couldn't really complain about that, though.**

**We arrived at our destination. Amber parked, but didn't get out of the car. I could sense her watching me as I observed the building. The sign read "Zini's Pizza Emporium: 'The hottest and freshest pizza in town!'"**

**"Well?" Amber said.**

**"What?"**

**"Aren't you going to tell me how lame a job this is? Working at a pizza place?"**

**"It's not lame, it's… nice."**

**She grunted. "Glad _you_ think so." She hesitated. "I'll be back."**

**She stepped out of the car and went into the restaurant. She left the car running, to keep me warm, I figured. But the cold never bothered me anyway.**

**I got out of the car, and walked around, and got into the driver's seat. I had a plan. I was going to get some answers out of Amber. Even if it meant I had to force them out.**

**I heard a tap on the glass. I looked over to see Amber there. I rolled down the window. "What?"**

**"Why are you in _my_ seat?" Amber asked accusingly.**

**"Technically it's not your seat. And I thought you'd like a break from driving."**

**She put her hands on her hips. "It isn't necessary. It's a fifteen minute drive back home. I can handle it."**

**"Then so can I," I countered.**

**Silence.**

**"You don't think I can drive?" I asked.**

**"Well, how can I know? You skulk around in your house most of the time," said Amber. "Also, you're 165 years old. And everyone knows that elderly people can't drive."**

**"_158! _And I'm _not_ elderly. Not really."**

**Amber laughed. "I was joking." She walked around and sat in the passenger seat. "Fine, Captain, take us home."**

**I started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. She was right, I wasn't an amazing driver. But I was confident we wouldn't get into a wreck. About 88% confident.**

**I made a wrong turn on purpose, going the opposite direction on the highway.**

**"Do you know which way to go?" Amber asked.**

**"Yes. Do you doubt it?"**

**"Yeah, a little. You're taking us the wrong way."**

**"It's a shortcut," I assured her. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."**

**Amber sighed. "I hope so." She turned her head away from me, looking out the window.**

**I turned again, off the main highway and onto a gravel road.**

**"Um, this road doesn't isn't even on the map," Amber pointed out. "You've got a weird definition for 'shortcut', Jerry."**

**I didn't reply. I drove a ways, far enough from the highway that it couldn't be seen on the horizon. I pulled over to the side of the road.**

**"Okay, something's up. You took us to the middle of nowhere." she gestured out the window, at the endless stretch of flat, grassy land. "This is something an axe murderer would do." She eyed me as she said that last part.**

**I laughed. "Relax Amber. I just wanna ask you a few questions."**

**"That's all? Why would we need to be all the way out here for that?"**

**"Because I figured you wouldn't give me any answers unless I had an advantage over you."**

**"Oh, really? And what would that be?"**

**I pulled the car keys out, making the engine stop running. I jingled them in the air briefly and stuck them into the inside pocket in my jacket.**

**I could tell that Amber was starting to understand. "Oh, no you don't!" She reached out to grab my jacket, but I just snickered and jumped out of the car.**

**"Hey!" Amber shouted, getting out of the car as well. She charged at me, and I turned and sprinted across the road. She pursued.**

**She was fast. _Really_ fast.**

**But unfortunately for her, I was faster. I jumped onto the grass and kept running. I was able to stay just ahead of her.**

**She lunged at me, and nearly tackled me. I made a sharp turn and dodged it. I stopped to look back and saw Amber stumble a moment, but then she resumed her chase. I took off again.**

**"Come on, Jerry, this is ridiculous!" Amber panted. "Stop!"**

**I laughed again. "And let you jump me? I think not!" I called back at her.**

**"Please, I don't think I can run much longer! If you stop, I'll stop."**

**"Fine," I said, and I stopped in my tracks. Amber stopped as well. She bent over, her hands on her legs for balance, as she caught her breath. I was breathing a little heavily, too. I watched her intently.**

**The moon may have been in its waning phase, but it glowed brightly. It became**

**caught in Amber's hair, making it shimmer radiantly. It made her look even more beautiful than usual, which I didn't know was possible. I mean, she was practically _glowing_.**

**Amber slowly looked up at me. I realized that she caught me staring, and I glanced down at the ground awkwardly. She suddenly jumped up and punched my arm. It hurt.**

**"Easy!" I told her, rubbing my throbbing arm. "What gives?"**

**"What was all that about?! You're such a jerk."**

**I laughed. "Guilty," I said, smiling. "Sorry. You know, you're pretty fast."**

**She didn't say anything.**

**"And you can throw a good punch, too," I added.**

**"Uh, thanks, I guess." Amber reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You wanted to ask me some questions? We're wasting time standing out here, so let's have 'em."**

**I nodded. "Yes actually. I'm very curious about something." I took a step closer to her. "Why do you need my basement once a month?"**

**"I'd rather not…"**

**"Please, Amber. I'll keep it to myself, whatever your reason is. I'll understand, and I'll help you through it. I promise."**

**"Why is it so important for you to know?"**

**"Because I feel like we should be able to trust each other. We've only known each other for a week, but…"**

**Amber gazed at me expectantly. "...But?"**

**I scratched the back of my neck. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, well, I really think we should be honest with each other. I already consider you a friend, and I hope you feel the same. But if we could just be forthright, both of us, we might finally build some trust. You know?"**

**Amber smiled warmly. "You've spent a lot of time thinking this over, haven't you?"**

**I smiled back. "Yeah, you could say that."**

**She sighed. "And you're not going to take me home until I tell you."**

**"More or less."**

**"Okay… But you won't like it," Amber said. She took a deep breath. "I have this… condition. Once a month, during the full moon, I need to lock myself up because..," she paused, and exhaled. "Because every full moon, I turn into a wolf."**

**I looked at her, shocked. I felt my eyes grow wide. I couldn't help it.**

**"You see?" Amber said, pointing at my expression. "That's exactly what I was expecting. Unbelievable, right? I'm not doing this."**

**I snapped out of my state of shock. "No, I'm sorry. Please, go on." I moved close to her.**

**She faced me, and her eyes briefly glanced down, clearly noticing there wasn't much space between us. She seemed a little uncomfortable. She shifted her gaze to meet my eyes. "Yes, I turn into a wolf. And I have to have a secure place to transform in. It keeps the wolf-_my_ wolf-from hurting anyone. I can't control it. When I turn, when my wolf rips me apart, I lose every trace of my humanity. And I'm subject to whatever the wolf wants."**

**She sniffed. "I'm dangerous, a killer. I am a _werewolf_. And I'm terrified of hurting anyone."**

**I felt a new realization dawn on me right then. It was then when I finally understood.**

**_Amber is my equal. She understands me, even if she can't see it. This was meant to happen. _She _was meant to happen._**

**I had been so lonely without Billy around, but now I could see that Amber was a better option. _She could be my closest companion, only more than that. Much more._**

**We were both cursed, both devastated with a terrible burden. And now, I realized that I had strong feelings for her, feelings deeper than the scars left behind by any curse.**

**"Amber," I whispered.**

**"Yes?" she asked.**

**I reached for her hand and held it, gently, in my own. She gasped softly at my touch. She looked at my hand that was holding hers, dumbfounded and lost for words. I reached up with my other hand and gently turned her chin back up. I locked my eyes with hers. She gazed back, mesmerized.**

**I lightly smoothed my hand against her cheek, pushing a strand of hair from her face. We looked at each other for an endless moment.**

**Amber's lips slightly parted. "I…" Her voice was so quiet, it could hardly be called a whisper.**

**I held a finger to her lips. She went silent. I peered intently into her emerald eyes. Her breathing went soft and shallow.**

**I let go of her hand and wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her close. I slowly, ever so slowly, I leaned and very lightly brushed my lips against hers.**

**She drew in a sharp breath. I pulled my head back, studying her dazed expression. I braced myself, expecting her to pull herself away from me. But she didn't. Instead, she moved her hands up to rest on my chest, not breaking her gaze. She was so warm. So unbelievably warm.**

**I leaned in again, this time kissing her fully. She was unresponsive. I moved my lips a little, and ran my fingers through her hair. Her lips finally began to move against mine.**

**There we were, standing out in the cold autumn night air. And yet, as I held her in this embrace and kissed her, I felt warmer than I ever had before.**

**I felt her hand touch my face as our lips moved together in a rhythm. Our kisses became more intense and passionate with each passing moment.**

**And then I sniffed, catching her scent in my nostrils. She smelled _so_ amazing. It was driving me crazy. I broke my lips from hers and buried my face in her flowing hair. _She smells… so good…_**

**I nudged my way down to her neck. I sniffed deeply. I kissed her neck hungrily. "Jerry," Amber squeaked in protest. But I couldn't hear her. I _wouldn't_. My hunger finally replaced my passion, and I felt my fangs grow out. My mouth opened wide, ready to bite down.**

**"_Jerry!" _Amber shouted, as she pushed me away. She stepped back from me, a terrified look on her face. I felt my hunger-madness fade as I saw her expression. I looked down in horror at my hands. My ghastly fingernails had grown long and sharp. I looked back at Amber.**

**"I-I'm sorry," I stammered. "I need to go." I shakily pulled the car keys from my pocket and tossed them at Amber. Then I turned away from her and began running.**

**"Jerry, wait!" she called.**

**"I'm sorry!" I repeated, not looking back. I willed my form to change. I transformed into a bat. And then I flew away as fast as I could, leaving a scared and confused Amber behind.**

* * *

><p><em>I know it's been like forever since I've updated. Been busy with things like babysitting and family birthdays and such. But that's no excuse. I need to post chapters more frequently, and I'm sorry. But this was a super-long chapter, so I hope that'll make up for it a little. :)<em>

_But, on a happier note... JERRY AND AMBER FINALLY KISSED OHMYGOD IT WAS SO ADORABLE AND SEXY I LOVE THEM TOGETHER!_

_Fangirl moment over. :D_


	15. Ch 14: Considering New Possibilities

_Amber's POV_

* * *

><p><strong>I just couldn't understand it. I just <em>couldn't<em>.**

**All I did was confess to being a werewolf, like Jerry wanted. And from him, I got the strangest reaction possible.**

**_He kissed me. He kissed me. He kissed me. He kissed me._**

**It had certainly caught me by surprise. He kissed me out of the blue, randomly, without warning.**

**_Why though? _I wondered as I was walking home.**

**I had driven Gabby's car back to the apartment parking lot, and parked it exactly like it was before. It was still dark, so I knew Gabby was still sleeping. The house key was hidden under the flowerpot by her door, as always (as my best friend, she told me absolutely _everything_), and I snuck into her home and placed the car keys on Gabby's coffee table. Then I put the house key back under the flowerpot and began walking home.**

**It wasn't a long distance from my house, but I walked slowly; I wasn't in any hurry. I couldn't think about anything except what had happened an hour or so ago.**

**I didn't resist. I didn't pull away or protest when he kissed me. I wondered if he compelled me so I'd let him kiss me, but I dismissed that possibility. Because I wasn't hypnotized, I was fully aware of what was happening. I just wasn't able to do anything about it, somehow. Feelings of dizziness and warmth had shot through me when he gazed at me, like a continuous bolt of electricity going through my body, stunning me and taking away my ability to speak.**

**Everywhere he touched me, my skin felt tingly. Not the pins-and-needles tingly feeling that you get when your foot falls asleep, or when you hit your funny bone. It was more of a pleasant kind of tingly. It was like nothing I had ever experienced.**

**The thing that surprised me the most, though, was that I liked it.**

**The last time I ever felt anything similar, was when Nate kissed me, so long ago. But it was never like this. _This_… it was more intense, more powerful. And I enjoyed it. A lot.**

**The feel of his lips against mine, how he held me close; I loved every second of it.**

**But I kind of hated myself for loving it.**

**_I've only known him for how long? A week? And I didn't even know his name until, like, three days ago! And, of course, he's a vampire._ _He drinks blood, sleeps in a coffin (in the basement), and can compel people._**

**_Oh, and he can turn into a bat._**

**But despite all that, I couldn't deny that I really wouldn't mind if he kissed me again.**

**Then, I reflected upon how he changed into a bat. It was shocking, to put it lightly. But it intrigued me greatly. It wasn't gruesome to watch, the transformation. And it didn't look painful, really. It was like he simply snapped his fingers and he became a bat, just like that. It was so unlike a werewolf transformation. Turning into a wolf was a slow, painful process.**

**I couldn't help but wonder if he knew what it felt like, being an animal, being like me. _When he turns into a bat, does he still have his conscience? Or is he completely at the mercy of the bat's wild instincts?_**

**However, Bat Jerry didn't attack me and flew off after he transformed. So maybe he _did_ have his own mind conscious, and not a bat's. Nonetheless, I had a feeling he may have more in common with me than what meets the eye.**

**I arrived back home. I stopped in front of my house, and looked up at it. Strangely, my own house looked… unwelcoming, and lonely. Then I looked over to Jerry's house. I didn't know why, but his house seemed so much more inviting (despite the creepy-ness exterior). It was like I wanted to give up my boring life of hiding out and playing it safe, the life I was so accustomed to now, and trade it for a new life full of excitement and the unexpected. A new life exploding with feelings of appreciation and belonging. Of both hurt and heal, happiness and sorrow, life and death, love and hate. A life with Jerry.**

**I looked over at his house longingly. I wondered if he was there yet, if he had me on his mind. I wanted to go over there and find out.**

**But instead, I walked up the porch steps, and walked inside my house. Too much had happened in one day already. I needed some time to figure things out, anyway.**

**But I knew I'd have to pay him a visit soon enough.**

* * *

><p><em>I can't express how sorry I am for not updating. My family went completely nuts during the holidays this year. I had to go to Christmas dinner after Christmas dinner. Five of them! And I have other things on my mind, too. And they've kept me from concentrating on this story lately. And again, I'm sorry. This story isn't going to "die". I'm going to finish it, no matter what happens! But, I'm going to apologize in advance if more long periods of no updating occur. Hopefully they won't, but I'm getting increasingly busy. :(<em>

_And I'm also sorry that this chapter is short. I originally intended for it to me part of a larger chapter, but I wanted to post something sooner so you all can have something to read while I continue writing._

_I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year, and as always, thanks for reading. :3_


	16. Ch 15: A Sensational Opportunity

_3rd Person POV_

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><p><strong>"So, what brings you here, Billyboy?"<strong>

**Billy winced. He hated that nickname. It made him feel like a child when she called him that.**

**"Why do you have to call me that?" he asked with an irritated tone.**

**"Because I can, and because you're my son." Eva yawned. "You know that."**

**Billy's eyebrows furrowed. "I am _not_ your son. You just raised me, and that doesn't mean-"**

**"From the dead. I raised you from the dead," she interjected. "And that's pretty much the same as being born, don't you think? And I made it happen. Therefore I am your mother. And you called me 'Mother' only an hour ago. And now you deny it? I am what I am."**

**"I've heard this all before," Billy said, now pouting. "I'm not a child. You'll call me Billy."**

**Eva simply smirked, and strolled back over to the table. She began arranging the strange herbs that were strewn across the table, putting them in an organized line.**

**Billy was watching intently from where he stood. Eva was no doubt preparing ingredients for some sort of brew or potion. Long ago, when he lived here, he would always ask to help Eva with her magic and her potion-making, but she had always refused.**

**One day, he had decided he was perfectly capable of performing spells and practicing dark magic, and he used her spellbook to turn an empty whiskey bottle turn into a giant, sparkling diamond. He had been so excited, so pleased with himself for doing a spell correctly. He had shown the diamond to Eva, thinking that she would be proud of his accomplishment. Instead, she was angry. She had raged at him, hit him, pushed him down. It was that day that he ran away from her, and later on, he met Jerry.**

**Billy watched her every move. He remembered how much he wanted to practice magic. He had hidden this desire for twenty years, and he had forgotten. But now he felt that desire rekindle deep within him, and he felt it grow into a raging fire.**

**They both remained silent for a long moment. Then Eva spoke up. "Why are you here, Billy?"**

**Billy jumped a little when she spoke again. He had been lost in his desire, and Eva's voice had made his attention snap back to reality. "Huh?"**

**Eva paused from her work, and turned her head up to face him. "Why. Are you. Here?" She spoke with a stern tone, a voice of authority. It made Billy uneasy, and it angered him. He didn't show it, though.**

**"I-I need a favor," he said, as he remembered his reasoning for returning in the first place.**

**She pulled a sharp knife from her bag, which she kept slung from her shoulder at all times. She took a large, bulbous root, and began chopping it. "A favor, you say?" She seemed anything but interested.**

**He continued on, anyway. "I need you to kill someone for me."**

**She paused again. The lower half of the root was now finely minced. "Jerry Dandridge?"**

**Billy's eyes widened. "How did you-"**

**Eva snickered. "You think I didn't know what you were up to all these years?"**

**"How?"**

**"You should know by now that I can use magic for nearly everything. And that includes using it to check up on you."**

**Billy shook his head, astonished. "You can do that?"**

**"Yes, obviously." She pointed an accusing finger at Billy and wiggled it. "And I already know about that little scuffle you had with Dandridge."**

**"Then you already _knew_ why I came here."**

**"No. I don't read minds. I can, of course, but I don't particularly care about what anyone else thinks."**

**Her magical abilities never failed to surprise Billy. He marvelled at what Eva was capable of. It excited him and made him feel intimidated at the same time.**

**"But, I can infer that you're wanting me to help you exact revenge on your roommate. And I'm not interested." Eva turned her head away from him as she continued mincing in silence.**

**Moments passed, and Billy began to mentally panic. She wasn't going to help him, unless he offered her something valuable. Billy struggled to find something to say that would make Eva help him.**

**"I'll come back." He suddenly suggested.**

**She finished mincing the root, and she scraped the knife against the table, sweeping the chopped bits and pieces to the side. She turned her attention to another plant, a an exotic-looking, leafy pod, that kind of looked similar to an unhusked ear of corn. "You're going to have to be more specific than that."**

**"To you. I'll come back to you."**

**She began peeling the leaves off the strange plant. "I'm listening," she said finally, not pausing from her work.**

**He breathed a sigh of relief. "If you help me kill Jerry, I'll come back under your custody. I'll be your assistant, like you always intended for me to be. And I won't leave you, ever again."**

**Eva laughed scornfully. "Billy, what makes you think I need an assistant? I brought you back to life because I was trying out an advanced spell. It worked, and then I was stuck with you."**

**"If you didn't want me, why didn't you just leave me? And why would you check up on me?" Billy countered.**

**Eva groaned in aggravation, and put the plant down on the table. "Because the spell I used, it had a catch to it. And I didn't know about it until immediately _after_ I resurrected you. You and I, we are linked. If you ended up being destroyed, I'd lose my life essence as well. I couldn't let anything happen to you, or else I'd pay the price. And so I kept you with me, sheltered you, fed you. Kept you safe."**

**Billy listened, and tried to process what Eva was saying.**

**"But shortly before you left, I discovered a spell that would allow me to absorb the life essence of anyone I wanted, taking their lifespan and adding it to my own, making me as good as immortal. I've taken many lives with that spell, until I was sure I wouldn't die even if you did."**

**"But that makes no sense. You just said that we're linked, and if I died, you'd die too."**

**"Not anymore. There are ways around it. If you died, I'd lose the life essence equal to one lifetime, 100 years worth. Now, I'm set to live another three hundred years, at least. So, once I was sure I had enough life essence, I didn't have to be so protective of you. When you left, I let you go."**

**"If you were so safe, why did you still keep an eye on me, all these years?"**

**"Because I wasn't completely convinced I was safe. It gave me peace of mind to know you were safe with Dandridge."**

**"So… you didn't check up on me because you cared, but because you were looking out for your own well-being." Billy looked down at the floor, hurt.**

**"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" Eva said plainly.**

**"Yes. Yes it is…"**

**"So, you see, I don't exactly have a use for you sticking around."**

**"Then what _do_ you want?" Billy asked.**

**"I don't want anything. I don't want to help you. I actually almost owe Dandridge, for keeping you safe for so long. So why would I want to kill him?"**

**"Because whether you like it or not, you're responsible for me. And if you don't help me kill him, I'll do it by myself. What if _he_ ended up killing _me_? You'd might just discover that there's no way around it, and you'll die despite of your efforts to avoid it."**

**Eva seemed to think about this for a moment. "I doubt that'll happen. One, because you are a coward; you'd never challenge Dandridge to a fight to the death. Two, because I know spells, and I _know_ that I am safe. Go ahead, go and get yourself killed. I won't care in the slightest. I'm going to live forever, no matter what happens to you."**

**Something clicked in Billy's mind just then. "Wait… you're taking the life essence from people. But even multiply lifetimes can't last forever. Soon enough they'll all run out."**

**"Not if I keep adding to them, they won't."**

**Billy then had an idea. An idea that might just work. It was true that he didn't know much about her magic, but he might just know enough to convince Eva to kill Jerry. He only hoped what he was about to say would make sense.**

**"And how long can you keep that up? How long can you cheat, before you're consumed by the dark magic? I know just as well as you that there is a price of overusing spells. It can destroy you. Not just your life, but your soul. Not even a glimpse of an afterlife. You simply won't exist anymore."**

**Eva didn't say anything. She just looked hard at him.**

**"You know I'm right, Eva. There is no way you can become immortal using dark magic. Unless…" He paused.**

**"Unless what?!" Eva snapped. She sounded anxious to hear his proposition, and it surprised him. His plan was working.**

**"What would happen if you absorbed Jerry's life essence?"**

**"What do you mean?" Eva eyed him, curious.**

**"He's a vampire. He's immortal. If you absorbed his life essence, you'd be immortal for real."**

**Eva's eyes widened. "...You don't say?"**

**"Just think. It's a sensational opportunity. You can't pass this up."**

**Eva just stared at him. And then, she _smiled_. "That… is brilliant."**

**Billy's eyes lit up. "So you'll do it, then?"**

**She sighed. "Don't get so excited. Yes, I'll do it."**

**Billy smiled. "Good."**

**"Wipe that smug look off your face," Eva sneered. "We've got work to do."**

* * *

><p><strong>"So how are we going to do this? Get Jerry killed?" Billy asked.<strong>

**"I'm not sure yet. We need to find a way to coax him here." Eva said. She grabbed the thick spellbook off the table, and she held it with both hands.**

**"Why here?"**

**"If he came here, we'd have an advantage. I know this area like the back of my hand, and he is completely unfamiliar with it."**

**"Ah."**

**She then looked at the book in her hands. "Give me a sight spell," she commanded the book. It opened on its own, and the pages flipped at lightning speed, as if a mighty wind was gusting across the book. Then the pages stopped flipping. She held the book closer to her face and quickly read the text.**

**"Get back." Billy obediently took a step back, allowing her space.**

**"Now stay quiet," Eva said firmly. "I'm going to get a little insight."**

**She closed her eyes and took a very deep breath.**

**"_Verum fulsi_," Eva chanted softly. "_Da mihi visum. Ostende mihi faciem tuam, et invisibilium. Luceat lux veritatis._"**

**Billy knew what she was saying, because he had studied Latin in his past life, before he was resurrected. It meant "Give me the sight. Let me see the unseen. Shine the light of truth".**

**The book began to glow, and slowly levitated out of her hands and into the air. Her hands were free now. Billy watched with great interest.**

**"_Verum fulsi_. _Da mihi visum. Ostende mihi faciem tuam, et invisibilium. Luceat lux veritatis._"**

**As Eva repeated the Latin phrase, she twirled her hands in front of her. Silvery streaks of smoke shot out of her palms as she did this hand motion. She turned her hands and swirled them in a circle, as if she were touching an invisible ball.**

**"_Verum fulsi_. _Da mihi visum. Ostende mihi faciem tuam, et invisibilium. Luceat lux veritatis._"**

**Now the smoke swirled in between her hands, and she was shaping it into a sphere. It looked to Billy like a tiny planet of gas. It glowed brightly.**

**Some magical force caused the sphere to solidify on the outside. The new substance appeared to be crystal, for Billy could see the smoke still swirling inside.**

**"_Perago._"**

**The moment she said it, the crystal ball was no longer glowing. It suddenly plummeted.**

**"Gah!" Billy reached out and caught the ball in the nick of time so it would not hit the floor.**

**Eva opened her eyes and smiled. "Nice reflexes. Now, hand it back to me."**

**He obeyed.**

**She then peered at it-no, _into_ it.**

**"_Ostende mihi quod quaero._"**

**The smoke inside swirled faster and faster, until it looked like a little hurricane. Then he saw Eva's eyes light up.**

**"What is it?" Billy asked.**

**"Come look."**

**Billy stepped beside her and looked deeply into the crystal ball in her hands. A picture began to form. Billy squinted. _It was Jerry! _Billy tensed at the sight of him.**

**_Wait… Who is that with him? And are they… kissing? _There was a young woman pictured there, kissing Jerry. _Amber!_**

**"Well, that's surely interesting," Eva commented. "I sense some really deep feelings are happening here."**

**"You think they're in love?"**

**"Perhaps. From the vibes I'm getting, I can tell that he really cares for her, maybe even loves her. But the girl-Amber is her name- seems slightly hesitant."**

**Billy was skeptical. "Uhm… If you don't mind me asking, what purpose does _this_ serve in killing Jerry?"**

**"Don't you see?!" Eva snapped. "He really cares for this girl! And that, in my eyes is a weakness. And we can use that weakness to bring him down."**

**Billy thought a moment. "Are you saying we should kidnap Amber, so Jerry will come looking for her?"**

**"Precisely. Well, actually, not quite. I want to kidnap her friend."**

**"What?"**

**"It's too risky to go over there for her. Dandridge might find out and fight us there before we get the chance to escape. Remember, we want him here. I'm picking up bits and pieces of information from them as I'm watching them. She has a friend named Gabriella, and she lives in an apartment not far from Dandridge's house. And their friendship is important to Amber. So, you'll go and kidnap Gabriella, and you'll leave a message at Amber's door, telling her to show up here with Dandridge. It'll work out perfect."**

**Billy nodded. "Sounds like a legitimate plan."**

**"Then it's settled. You'll go after her tomorrow night." Eva put the crystal ball down onto the table. The spellbook was still levitating where she left it. She grabbed it from midair and set it on the table beside the crystal ball. And then she wheeled around the table to continue her mincing.**

**Billy turned to leave the room, but he stopped at the doorway and looked back at Eva. He hesitated, and then he spoke. "Thank you for doing this."**

**Eva looked up at him and smiled wickedly. "Don't thank me just yet."**

* * *

><p><em>Oh boy... Watch out, Jerry and Amber. Our villains have arrived. O_O<em>

_How did you like all that Latin gibberish? I thought it was a nice touch. xD_

_I know I haven't been updating as frequently as before. Hopefully this chapter was good enough to keep you hooked. :) I'll be updating again very soon!_


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